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PRE-REFORMATION 

CHURCHES 

IN 

fife  att&  t§e  So tfyians. 

Vol.  I— FI  FES H I RE. 


BY 

J.  RUSSELL  WALKER, 

Architect, 

Associate  of  the  Royal  Institute  of  British  Architects,  and 
Lellow  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Scotland. 


Ye  Abbeys  and  ye  arches,  how  few  and  far  between. 

The  remnants  of  your  glory  in  all  their  pride  are  seen ; 

A thousand  fanes  are  fallen,  and  the  bat  and  the  owl  repose, 
Where  once  the  people  knelt  them,  and  the  high  Te  Deum  rose. 


EDINBURGH: 

6 7,  NORTH  HANOVER  STREET. 


MDCCCLXXXVIII, 


TO 


JOSEPH  ANDERSON,  Esquire,  LL.D., 


Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Scotland , 

AND 

Keeper  of  the  National  Museum  of  Antiquities,  Edinburgh , 


This  Work  is  respectfully  dedicated,  in  admiration  of  the  great  services  he 
has  rendered  in  connection  with  the  study  of  Archaeology  in  Scotland,  as 
evinced  in  these  able  works — “ Scotland  in  Early  Christian  Times,” 
“ Scotland  in  Pagan  Times,”  and  many  other  valuable  papers  ; and  as  a 
humble  testimony  of  the  great  advantages  the  Author  has  derived  from 
his  advice  and  friendship. 


IFrefatorg  Mote. 


object  in  this  Work  has  not  been  to  make  a number  of  drawings 
of  special  bits  of  Church  Architecture  that  would,  when  collated, 
form  a book  likely  to  be  popular, — but,  I trust,  the  more  valuable 
useful  one  of  placing  on  record,  in  a systematic  and  exhaustive 
manner,  the  minor  ecclesiastical  antiquities  of  the  country.  I say  minor 
antiquities,  because  it  formed  no  part  of  my  intention  to  include  the  Cathedral 
and  Abbey  Churches,  which  now,  at  all  events,  receive  a fair  share  of  attention 
and  care.  The  great  majority  of  the  larger  Church  remains  have  also  been 
carefully  drawn  by  professional  Architects,  and  brought  before  the  public  in 
various  books  and  papers.  The  smaller  Parish  Churches,  of  less  repute,  but 
surely  of  equal  interest  to  the  nation,  have,  however,  had  scant  justice 
bestowed  upon  them  ; they  have  been  even  more  barbarously  treated  than  the 
Cathedrals  and  Abbeys  in  times  past,  and  are  now  sorely  impaired  by  neglect, 
reckless  attempts  to  adapt  them  to  modern  taste  and  convenience,  and  wanton 
mischief.  My  drawings,  which  it  will  be  observed  are  all  drawn  to  scale,  have 
been  made  from  time  to  time  as  business  permitted,  and,  although  in  all  cases 
revised  and  corrected  by  myself,  a number  of  the  drawings  have  been  made 
by  different  assistants, — this  necessarily  accounts  for  the  inequality  of  the 
workmanship. 

Should  my  readers  consider  I have  done  a little  towards  rescuing  from 
oblivion  those  small,  and  in  many  cases  scanty  remains,  of  our  interesting 
Pre-Reformation  Churches,  I will  feel  content  and  grateful. 

My  best  thanks  are  due  to  my  friend,  Dr  Joseph  Anderson,  for  his 
kindness  in  reading  the  proof-sheets,  and  for  his  valuable  advice  at  all  times  ; 
and  to  the  following,  amongst  others,  of  my  office  staff' : — Mr  John  Dali,  Mr 
Alexander  H.  Crawford,  Mr  Peter  Whitecross,  and  Mr  R.  Robertson. 

To  Messrs  Mould  8c  Tod,  who  have  photo-lithographed  the  plates  and 
printed  the  work,  I also  desire  to  express  my  great  indebtedness,  and  warm 
appreciation  of  their  workmanship. 


, 

■ - 


■ i JM 


Contents. 


Abdie, 

. Church  of  S.  Macgidrin  or  Adrian. 

Abercrombie,  . 

. Church  of  S . 

Aberdour, 

. Church  of  S.  Fillan. 

Abernethy, 

. Church  of  S.  Bridget. 

Burntisland,  Kirkton  of,  Church  of  S.  Adamnan  ? S.  Serf. 

Carnock,  . 

. Church  of  S . 

Crail, 

. Church  of  S.  Maelrubha  ? S.  Mary 

Creich,  . 

Church  of  S.  Devenic. 

Cupar, 

Church  of  S.  Michael. 

Dairsie,  . 

. Church  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary. 

Dalgety, 

Church  of  S.  Bridget. 

Dunmore, 

Chapel. 

Dysart,  . 

Church  of  S.  Serf. 

Forgan,  . 

Church  of  S.  Fillan. 

Inchcolm  Island,  . 

Cell  or  Chapel.  S.  Columba. 

Inverkeithing, 

Church  of  S.  Peter. 

Kilconquhar,  . 

Church  of  S.  Monan. 

Kirkcaldy, 

Church  of  S.  Patrick. 

Leuchars, 

Church  of  S.  Athernase. 

Markinch, 

Church  of  S.  S.  Modrust  and  John 

May  Island,  . 

Church  of  S.  Adrian. 

Monimail, 

Church  of  S . 

Rossyth, 

Church  of  S . 

St  Andrews,  . 

. Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 

Do. 

Church  of  S.  Feonard. 

Do. 

Church  of  S.  Mary  on  the  Hill. 

Do. 

. Church  of  S.  Regulus. 

Do. 

Church  of  S.  Salvator. 

St  Monance,  . 

. Church  of  S.  Monance. 

Ecclesiastical  Foundations  in  Fifeshire. 
Ecclesiastical  Foundations  in  Kinross-shire. 


PRE-REFORMATION  CHURCHES 


IN 


Bife  and  the  Irothians. 


ABDIE,  FIFESH1RE. 


£0urc0  of  QHaCjjtfctin  or  Eittan. 


RIOR  to  the  Reformation  this  Church  belonged  to  the  Abbey  of 
Lindores.  It  stands  close  to  the  western  margin  of  the  Loch  of 
Lindores,  and  was  consecrated  by  David  de  Bernhame,  Bishop 
0 of  St  Andrews,  in  1242.  It  was  last  used  nth  November  1827.  Very 
little  of  the  original  structure  remains,  the  western  portion  having  been 
rebuilt  at  different  periods  to  suit  the  convenience  of  the  congregation.  The 
east  end  of  the  chancel  is  square,  and  has  three  lights  in  it,  the  centre  one 
being  the  largest ; the  treatment  throughout  has  been  simple  but  pleasing. 
The  priests’  door  is  intact  on  the  south  side,  there  is  a simple  splay  round  the 
jamb  and  arch,  and  a hood  moulding  which  has  also  formed  a string  course 
under  the  windows.  The  Church  has  evidently  been  divided  into  bays 
marked  internally  by  stone  corbels  (see  sketch  of  one  on  Plate  1),  and  exter- 
nally by  buttresses,  and  in  the  centre  of  each  bay  there  has  been  a small  lancet. 

There  has  apparently  been  no  difference  in  the  width  of  chancel  and  nave. 
The  chancel  measures  17  feet  6 inches  in  width.  The  skew  and  footstone  of 
the  east  gable  are  noticeable  for  the  width  and  treatment.  Standing  inside 
against  the  north  wall  of  the  chancel  there  is  the  fine  slab  of  14th  century 
date  and  female  recumbent  effigy  ; the  shields  on  the  slab  have,  I think, 
always  been  plain  (see  Plate  4).  The  Denmiln  Aisle,  built  in  1661  by  Sir 
Robert  Balfour,  is  plain  and  bald,  and  contains  some  plain  slabs  with  Latin 
inscriptions  to  some  members  of  that  family.  The  Castle,  standing  close  to 
the  road  leading  to  Newburgh,  and  now  in  ruins,  was  the  seat  of  the  Balfours 
from  1452  to  1710,  and  two  celebrated  men  of  the  name  were  born  in  it,  viz., 
Sir  James  Balfour  (1603-57),  herald,  annalist,  and  antiquary,  and  his  brother 
Sir  Andrew  (1630-94),  physician,  and  founder  of  the  first  botanical  garden  in 
Edinburgh.  The  bell  was  recast  in  Alexander  Balfour’s  time,  and  bears  the 
following  inscription  : — “ Joannes  Burgerhuys  me  fecit  1671.  Soli  Deo  Gloria , 
Mr  Alexander  Balfour  there  of  the  parish  of  Ebde.”  In  the  churchyard, 
which  surrounds  the  old  church,  there  are  one  or  two  interesting  monuments 
to  local  worthies. 


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ABERCROMBIE,  F 1 F E S H I R E. 


£ Snivel}  of  ^ 


BERCROMBIE,  now  S.  Monance,  a coast  parish  of  S.E.  Fife, 
containing  the  hamlet  of  Abercrombie  and  the  fishing  village  and 
burgh  of  barony  of  S.  Monance.  Balcaskie  Park  extends  over  the 
N.E.  corner  of  the  parish,  and  in  it  stand  the  scanty  remains  of  the 
church  of  Abercrombie.  It  is  now  fully  two  centuries  since  the  church 
was  in  use,  and  it  is  now  used  as  the  burial  place  of  the  Anstruthers  of 
Balcaskie.  Very  little  remains  of  the  side  walls  ; the  inside  measurements  are 
41  feet  6 inches  in  length,  by  18  feet  10  inches  wide.  There  has  evidently 
been  a stoup  inside  at  the  south  door,  and  an  aumbry  in  the  east  wall  at  the 
south  side  of  the  altar. 

Abercrombie,  which  has  included  the  barony  of  S.  Monance  since  1646,  is 
in  the  presbytery  of  St  Andrews  and  synod  of  Fife. 


ROSSYTH,  FIFESHIRE. 


£i>urd}  of 


MONG  the  privileges  conferred  on  the  Monastery  of  S.  Colm’s  Inch 
was  the  church  of  Rossive  or  Rosyth,  with  the  whole  land  in  that 
town,  which  Richard,  Bishop  of  Dunkeld,  of  blessed  memory, 


bestowed  in  perpetual  almsgift.  The  remains  of  the  church  are  very 
scanty,  the  east  gable  and  a portion  of  the  north  wall  being  the  only 
portions  existing.  The  east  gable  is  lighted  by  two  windows  with  pointed 
heads  of  good  type,  the  rear  vault  being  also  pointed.  There  is  an  aumbry  in 
the  north  wall  for  the  service  of  the  altar,  and  a recess  for  a holy  water  stoup 
on  the  east  side  of  the  north  door  inside.  The  remains  seem  of  13th  century 
date. 


ABERDOUR,  FIFESHIRE. 


of 


BERDOUR  (Gael,  abhir-dur,  “ confluence  of  the  stream,”)  is  a Parish 
of  south-west  Fife,  now  in  the  Presbytery  of  Dunfermline  and  Synod 
of  Fife  ; it  anciently  belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Inchcolm,  its  western 
half  having  been  granted  by  Alan  de  Mortimer  for  leave  of  burial  in  the 
Abbey  Church.  The  bargain,  runs  the  story,  was  curiously  broken,  for 
“ carrying  his  corpse  in  a coffin  of  lead  by  barge  in  the  night-time,  some 
wicked  monks  did  throw  the  same  in  a great  deep  betwixt  the  land  and  the 
monastery,  which  to  this  day,  by  neighbouring  fishermen  and  others,  is  called 
Mortimer s Deep." 

The  Parish  was  formed  in  1640  by  disjunction  from  Beath  and  Dalgety, 
and  includes  the  island  of  Inchcolm. 

The  Church  was  consecrated  in  1178.  As  will  be  seen  by  Plate  1,  it 
consists  of  chancel,  nave  with  south  aisle,  and  south-west  porch.  The  chancel, 
which  is  of  distinct  Norman  character,  measures  20  feet  9 inches  by  13  feet 
2 inches  inside.  The  south  wall  is  pierced  with  two  small  narrow  round- 
headed  lights,  chamfered  round  the  outside  edges,  with  very  narrow  ingoings 
and  deep  internal  splay  ; the  sill  is  deeper  than  the  jambs.  The  east  wall  is 
pierced  by  a single  window  of  the  same  character,  and  the  north  wall  has  a 
similar  one,  in  the  sloping  internal  sill  of  which  has  been  formed  an  aumbrye 
of  late  date — 1670.  The  chancel  arch  is  simple  but  boldly  expressed,  and  is 
composed  of  two  plain  orders,  square  edged,  and  with  a simple  hood  facing 
the  nave.  Mr  J.  S.  Muir  says  that  the  jamb  shafts  are  “ semi-cylindrical.”  I 
am  inclined  to  think  they  were  square  originally,  like  the  arch,  and  afterwards 
rounded  away, — both  caps  and  bases,  which  are  of  very  simple  character,  are 
square.  In  the  north  wall  of  the  nave,  at  the  east  end,  there  is  a window  of 
similar  character  to  those  in  the  chancel,  and  a blocked  round  headed  door 
towards  the  west  end. 

Mr  Muir  is  of  opinion  that  the  two-light  window  in  the  west  gable  is, 
like  the  heavy  square  bell-cot,  of  “ ante- Reformation  date.”  I am  certainly 
of  opinion  that  the  window  is  of  ante-Reformation  date,  but  I think  the  bell- 
cot  and  part  of  the  gable  is  of  post-Reformation  date.  The  window  is  exactly 
in  the  centre  of  the  original  west  wall,  and  the  bell-cot  is  placed  on  the  apex  of 
the  post-Reformation  addition  to  the  gable  taking  the  roof  covering  nave  and 
south  aisle.  A glance  at  the  west  gable  and  the  chancel  gable  externally, 
shews  clearly  the  raglets  of  the  original  roofs,  and  proves  conclusively  that  the 


chancel  and  nave  were  originally  roofed  on  the  same  line,  and  I am  rather 
inclined  to  think  the  nave  was  first  lengthened  by  ten  feet  or  so  about  the  end 
of  the  14th  century,  and  the  window  then  introduced,  and  the  south  aisle  and 
south-west  porch  added  at  a still  later  date ; the  roof  of  the  aisle  would  at  first, 
I conjecture,  simply  be  a lean-to  against  the  nave  wall,  and  sometime  after  the 
Reformation  the  whole  building  was  apparently  overhauled,  the  roofs  taken  off 
and  a new  nave  roof  covering  also  the  south  aisle  put  on  ; this,  of  course, 
caused  the  alteration  of  ridge  centre  ; the  door  to  the  west  gallery  and  other 
square  headed  lights  would  likely  be  introduced,  and  slapped  as  in  the  case  of 
the  south  wall  of  the  chancel,  at  this  time,  possibly  the  date  on  the  aumbrye  in 
the  chancel — 1670,  points  to  the  time  when  the  last  alteration — made  to  suit 
post-Reformation  purposes — took  place.  The  nave  piers  are  cylindrical,  with 
meagre  caps  and  bases,  the  arches  are  semi-circular,  with  plain  chamfers  on 
each  edge,  and  there  is  no  hood  on  either  side.  The  south-west  porch  is 
pretty  entire,  but  roofless  like  the  rest  of  the  building,  the  door  has  a broad 
chamfer  on  the  edge  and  a pointed  head  without  a hood  ; the  inner  door  has 
been  square  headed  but  is  now  blocked,  on  the  east  side  of  it  there  is  a small 
mutilated  niche  which  has  evidently  been  the  covert  of  a Benatura. 

Inserted  in  the  south  wall  of  the  aisle  is  a monument  to  the  Reverend 
Robert  Blair  (1583-1666),  chaplain  to  Charles  I.  ; he  was  banished  from  St 
Andrews  by  Archbishop  Sharp,  and  died  at  Meikle  Couston  in  the  parish  of 
Aberdour. 


Church,  of  S*  FiLlan.  ==• 
= tlberdour*  circct  1178 


PLan 


Ctberd-our  ♦ circa.  117ft 


ft  outlx~E  Lft  Vatioii. 


‘ 


— Churrk  of  S*  Filial  i — 
==  tlbevdour  = 

= circa  I17fl^ 


PI- cm  Section  of  Rave  Qrcli 


stone  of  the  same  within  the  twelve  courses  of  gray  sandstone,  near  the  gate, 
in  which  the  iron  jougs  are  fixed.  It  has  been  conjectured  by  many  writers 
that  the  twelve  lowest  courses  belong  to  an  earlier  tower  than  the  upper  portion 
built  with  the  buff  freestone  ; if  that  is  the  case,  then  the  door  must  have  been 
enlarged  at  the  same  time  and  the  new  stone  used  for  the  purpose,  and  the  large 
stone  inserted  which  holds  the  jougs.  Tradition  states  that  the  stone  from 
which  the  tower  is  built  was  obtained  from  a quarry  near  the  Lomond  Hills, 
but  tradition  does  not  state  whether  it  was  the  buff  freestone  or  the  gray  stone 
which  was  got  there.  There  is  no  known  quarry  near  Abernethy  from  which 
either  could  have  come.  I think  it  is  a fact  worth  pointing  out  that  the  chapel 
of  S.  Regulus  in  S.  Andrews  is  built  out  of  a remarkably  durable  gray  sand- 
stone, as  are  the  first  twelve  courses  of  the  Abernethy  tower.  It  is  not  known 
what  quarry  supplied  the  stone  for  S.  Regulus,  although  Grierson,  in  his 
“ Delineations  of  S.  Andrews,”  supposes  it  came  from  Nydie  Hill.  It  is  not 
known  where  the  gray  sandstone  of  the  Abernethy  tower  came  from  either.  I 
would  suggest  that  the  stone  to  supply  both  came  from  the  same  quarry,  and 
that  this  quarry  was  situated  about  midway,  or  so,  between  S.  Andrews 
and  Abernethy. 

The  height  of  the  tower,  as  measured  by  me,  is  73  feet  3 inches  from  the 
roadway.  Gordon,  in  his  “ Itinerarium  Septentrionale,”  makes  it  75  feet,  and 
Brash  made  it  72  feet.  The  difference,  I take  it,  is  due  to  the  wear  and 
making  up  of  the  roadway  at  different  periods.  The  diameter  at  the  door 
level  is  15  feet  3 inches,  and  at  the  level  of  the  window  openings  14  feet.  The 
door  has  converging  jambs  and  a semi-circular  head  externally  in  one  large 
stone  only  the  depth  of  the  reveal,  the  inner  portion  being  covered  by  a ring 
of  six  stones  of  irregular  sizes,  and  with  no  keystone.  In  the  second  storey, 
facing  the  south,  there  is  a small  angular  headed  opening  cut  out  of  one  stone. 
In  the  third  storey,  facing  west,  there  is  a semi-circular  headed  opening  whose 
sides  slightly  converge.  In  the  fourth  storey,  facing  east,  a similar  opening. 
The  fifth,  or  top  storey,  is  lighted  by  four  windows  facing  the  cardinal  points  ; 
they  are  semi-circular  headed,  revealed  externally  with  nook  shafts.  It  has 
been  thought  that  these  windows,  which  have  distinct  Norman  features,  are 
insertions.  I must  say  I cannot  see  any  reason  for  supposing  so.  The  church 
bell,  of  which  I give  a drawing,  is  hung  in  the  top  storey.  The  storeys  are 
marked  internally  by  string-courses  averaging  from  10  inches  to  12  inches  in 
depth,  several  of  them  being  chamfered  on  the  under  side. 


—Round  ToWer  — 


Secl’ion 


Exterior 


EleVhlion  of  Door 


Vlcu  v of  Door 


Sell 


fiketck  of  Window- 


a t 6 % o / 


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locale  of  Feel' 

■ ~Romul  To Wer  = 
= Cib  e me  Hiy  — 

' ■ 1 ■ ■ ' Har 


t±i 


1/^ 


ft  cole  |or  Bell 


frkel'cL  of  foul'll  Face 


BURNTISLAND,  KIRKTON  OF,  FI  F ESH I RE. 


£l)urc$  of  Jtbamnan  ? 


HE  hamlet  of  Kirkton  stands  a quarter  of  a mile  to  the  north  of 
Burntisland,  and  the  small  and  unpretending  Church  is  surrounded 
by  a churchyard  still  in  use.  The  plan  consists  of  a nave  35  feet 
piT  6 inches  long  by  1 5 feet  wide,  internally,  and  a chancel  24  feet  4 inches 
long  by  13  feet  wide,  inside.  The  distinction  between  nave  and  chancel 
externally  is  fully  developed.  The  details  are  few  and  simple,  and  although 
the  pointed  arch  prevails  throughout,  it  is  difficult  to  say  to  what  date  it 
belongs.  On  the  whole,  I am  inclined  to  think  with  Mr  J.  S.  Muir,  that  it 
has  been  rebuilt  on  the  original  site  of  the  church  which  was  dedicated,  in 
1243,  by  Bishop  David  de  Bernhame,  towards  “ the  commencement  of  the 
15th  century — when  church  architecture  began  to  revive  under  the  favourable 
encouragement  of  James  the  First.” 

The  walls  of  the  chancel  are  nearly  entire.  There  is  the  usual  priests’ 
door  in  the  south  wall,  and  two  narrow  lancets  with  wide  internal  splays. 
There  are  no  windows  in  the  north  or  east  walls.  The  chancel  arch  and  gable 
are  perfect ; the  arch  is  pointed  and  of  one  order  the  whole  thickness  of  the 
wall,  and  springs  from  a plain  impost  bevelled  on  the  under  side,  and  partially 
returned  on  each  side  ; the  simple  splayed  base  returns  to  the  wall.  There  is 
a lancet  in  the  west  gable,  the  wide  internal  splays  are  saved  over  by  a lintel 
stone  ; there  is  a small  opening  on  each  side  of  it  piercing  the  wall,  what 
purpose  they  served  I cannot  think,  they  are  too  high  up  in  the  wall  to  serve 
as  leper  windows.  The  north  wall  has  a door  in  the  usual  position,  but  no 
windows,  and  in  the  south  wall  there  is  also  a door,  immediately  opposite  the 
north  door  ; the  greater  portion  of  this  wall  is  down  to  the  ground,  and  there 
seems  to  have  been  a modern  aisle  and  small  vestry  in  use  after  the 
Reformation. 


Church,  of  S*  Odamnaru  KirKton  » Burntisland  ♦ 


C A R N 0 C K,  FIFESHIRE. 


ARNOCK  Parish  is  on  the  S.  W.  border  of  Fife,  the  village  being 
three  and  a quarter  miles  W.  N.  W.  of  Dunfermline.  John  Row, 
the  celebrated  ecclesiastical  historian,  was  minister  from  1592  to 
1646.  Originally  the  parish  only  contained  the  estates  of  Carnock, 
Blair,  and  Easter  and  Wester  Camps,  but  was  enlarged  in  1650  by  annexations 
from  Dunfermline. 

The  old  Church,  forming  the  subject  of  illustration,  is  the  one  John  Row 
ministered  in.  Although  small — measuring  only  42  feet  by  17  feet  6 inches, 
inside — it  possesses  all  the  marked  features  of  the  Parish  Church  of  the  times. 
The  small  windows  in  the  east  gable,  deeply  splayed  internally  ; the  aumbry 
on  the  north  side  of  the  east  gable,  seemingly  an  insertion  of  a later  date  ; the 
original  narrow  lancets  in  the  north  wall,  and  those  opposite  in  the  south  wall, 
increased  in  size  to  allow  of  more  light  after  the  dawn  of  the  Reformation  ; the 
extension  westwards,  and  the  additions  to  the  south-west,  are  all  thoroughly 
characteristic. 

There  is  no  architectural  detail  worthy  of  particular  notice. 


C cuTt?  o c [$,  • 


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JSieQle  |-ot*  jSeefciore  Ihro.PotVh. 


GRAIL,  FIFESHIRE. 


RAIL  is  a royal  burgh  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Fifeshire,  near  the 
East  Neuk.  The  name  is  derived  from  caev,  a fortified  place,  and 
ail,  a corner.  So  early  as  the  ninth  century,  Crail  was  a place  of 
considerable  trade  and  importance,  having  a large  trade  with  the 
Netherlands  in  salted  fish.  In  June  1310,  a charter  was  granted  by 
King  Robert  Bruce  confirming  various  privileges  granted  to  the  burgesses 
and  community  by  former  Kings.  From  an  early  period  Crail  was  connected 
ecclesiastically  with  the  Cistercian  Priory  of  Jdaddington. 

The  Reverend  Charles  Rogers,  LL.D.,  F.S.A.  Scot.,  says — “ This 
structure  was  reared  in  the  reign  of  David  II.,  and  probably  by  Sir  William 
Dichington  of  Ardross,  an  ingenious  architect.  In  1517  it  was,  on  the  petition 
and  endowment  of  Sir  William  Myreton,  with  the  consent  of  Janet,  Prioress 
of  Haddington,  erected  into  a Collegiate  Church,  with  a provost,  sacristan,  ten 
prebendaries  and  a chorister.  Besides  the  high  altar,  which  was  richly 
endowed,  there  were  in  the  church  altarages  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  Mary, 
S.  Catherine,  S.  Michael,  S.  James,  S.  John  the  Baptist,  S.  Stephen,  S.  John 
the  Evangelist,  and  S.  Nicholas.” 

In  June  1559,  John  Knox  preached  in  the  Kirk  of  Crail,  and  commenced 
his  crusade  against  Rome.  As  a result  of  his  denunciation,  the  Collegiate 
Church  of  Crail  was  formally  disjoined  from  the  “ Abbey  and  Monastery  of 
Haddington.”  The  three  several  instruments  of  foundation,  and  the  royal 
charter  of  confirmation  and  mortification  sanctioned  by  Parliament,  and  dated 
the  24th  November  1526,  are  still  preserved  in  the  Burgh  archives  of  Crail, 
and  the  royal  charter  bears,  amongst  others,  the  seals  and  signatures  of  Arch- 
bishop Gavin  Dunbar  of  Glasgow  ; Bishop  George  Crichton  of  Dunkeld  ; 
Bishop  Gavin  Dunbar  of  Aberdeen  ; James,  Earl  of  Moray  ; James,  Earl  of 
Douglass  ; and  the  Earl  of  Arran.  A further  charter  of  confirmation  was 
granted  on  the  29th  June  1530. 

As  will  be  seen  on  Plate  1,  the  nave  is  73  feet  long  by  26  feet  4 inches 
wide,  from  centre  to  centre  of  the  pillars,  and  the  north  and  south  aisles  each 
10  feet  9 inches  wide.  The  west  tower  is  14  feet  6 inches  square  inside,  and 
has  a projecting  stair  on  the  north  side  of  it  square  in  plan.  The  fine  transi- 
tional arch,  opening  into  the  nave,  is  at  present  built  up,  but  might  at  very 
trifling  expense  be  cleared,  and  the  tower  made  into  the  principal  entrance. 


The  chancel  responds  are  Norman,  or  very  early  Transitional  in  type,  as 
also  the  arch  ; the  chancel  has  been  shortened,  and  in  a great  measure  rebuilt ; 
there  is  no  feature  about  it  of  any  interest.  The  nave  piers  are  circular,  with 
caps  and  bases  of  simple  and  early  character,  they  are  set  about  12  feet  3 inches 
apart  from  centre  to  centre  ; the  pointed  arches  are  equilateral  and  of  a simple 
section,  see  Plate  5.  The  clerestory  windows  are  single  narrow  lancets,  with 
deeply  splayed  jambs  inside,  contracting  to  more  usual  dimensions  at  the 
springing  of  the  arch.  The  hideous  modern  roof  spans  nave  and  aisles,  so 
that  these  windows  are  of  no  use.  It  would  cost  a comparatively  small  sum  to 
restore  the  church  to  its  former  appearance,  and  so  converted,  it  would  form 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  churches  in  the  “ Kingdom  of  Fife.” 

Externally,  the  west  tower  is  very  simple,  but  very  good  in  its  treatment, 
and  is  finished  with  the  usual  parapet  and  short  octagonal  spire  ; it  is  an 
excellent  example  of  the  tower  and  spire  of  the  Scottish  small  town  church, 
and  might  be  studied  to  advantage  when  new  ones  are  required.  It  has,  to 
my  mind,  a wonderful  charm  in  its  sweet  and  grave  simplicity.  It  measures 
63  feet  from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the  parapet. 

The  bell,  as  will  be  seen  from  Plate  6,  is  a fine  one.  The  dedication 
cross,  shewn  on  Plate  3,  is  on  the  west  elevation  of  the  south  aisle,  near  the 
window.  The  south-west  porch,  and  other  Pre-Reformation  features,  were 
destroyed  during  the  alterations  of  1828. 

In  the  churchyard,  the  remains  of  a recumbent  male  effigy,  of  apparently 
15th  century  date,  has  been  set  upright  in  the  niche  of  an  1 8th  century  classic 
monument ; whether  it  belongs  to  the  same  family  or  not  I do  not  know,  but 
it  has  no  connection  whatever  with  the  monument  it  has  been  attached  to. 

A small  Gothic  chapel  formerly  stood  at  the  east  end  of  the  town,  near 
the  sea  beach,  the  remains  of  which  can  still  be  traced,  and  there  was  another 
dedicated  to  St  Rufus,  belonging  to  the  castle,  which  was  built  by  David  II. 


<4? 

^r^V> 

Note.  In  various  works  the  Church  at  Crail  is  dedicated  to  S.  Macrubha,  and 
some  of  the  Plates  are  so  headed.  I find,  however,  that  the  correct  spelling  of  the 
saints  name  is  Maelrubha. 


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Church  of  St.  MrieTryibliq 


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CREICH,  FIFESHIRE. 


of  ©mnte. 


REICH  Parish  is  in  the  north  of  Fife,  and  extends  close  to  the  river 
Tay.  The  ruins  of  the  old  church  and  those  of  the  castle  stand  near 
together.  Little  of  the  church  is  left,  but  the  plan,  shewing  various 
alterations  and  additions,  is  still  entire.  The  original  building  seems 
to  have  been  an  oblong  of  60  feet,  by  15  feet  wide.  There  is  no  sign  of 
an  opening  in  the  east  gable  having  existed  previous  to  the  Reformation.  In 
the  north  wall  the  jambs  of  a narrow  lancet  are  entire,  and  there  is  a plain 
light  high  up  in  the  west  gable  which  may  have  been  original  also.  All  the 
other  doors  and  windows  have  been  altered,  and  a pretty  large  south  transept, 
or  “ aisle,”  as  they  were  called,  added  after  the  Reformation. 

In  the  north  wall  of  the  chancel,  near  the  east  end,  there  is  a monumental 
recess  or  covert  for  an  effigy,  the  arch  is  very  plainly  moulded  and  has  the  key- 
stone projecting  and  carved  with  the  Barclay  arms.  Partly  within  and  partly 
without  the  recess,  there  lies  the  fine  incised  stone  slab  figured  on  Plate  2. 
Further  to  the  west,  in  the  same  wall,  there  is  another  recess  similar  in  size, 
with  a moulded  arch  of  late  14th  century  date  ; the  moulding  consists  of 
alternate  rolls  and  hollows  divided  by  small  fillets,  the  hollows  being  filled  in 
with  spaced  four-leaved  ornaments. 

The  incised  slab,  above  referred  to,  is  in  memory  of  David  Barclay  and  his 
spouse,  Helen  de  Douglas,  who  respectively  died  in  the  years  1400  and  1421. 
The  Latin  inscription  on  the  bevelled  edge  of  the  slab  is  to  the  following 
effect : — “ Here  lies  David  Barclay  of  Luthrie,  Baron  of  Presgyl,  who  died  on 
the  day  of  the  month  of  A.D.  1400.  Here  lies  Helen  de  Douglas, 

his  wife,  who  died  on  the  29th  day  of  the  month  of  January,  A.D.  1421.”  The 
shield  above  the  right  shoulder  of  the  knight  is  charged  with  the  arms  of  the 
Barclays  of  Collairnie,  with  a clover  leaf  on  the  cheveron,  supposed  to  be  a 
mark  of  cadency.  This  David  Barclay  would  seem  to  have  been  the  second 
son  of  Hugh  Barclay  of  Kilmaron.  The  shield  above  the  right  shoulder  of  the 
baron’s  lady  is  now  defaced,  but  it  may  safely  be  assumed  it  was  blazoned  with 
the  arms  of  Douglas. 

Laurence,  official  of  Lindores  Abbey,  and  one  of  the  originators  of  the 
University  of  St  Andrews,  was  rector  of  Creich,  A.D.  1432.  In  1493,  Sir 
John  Lyndsay,  one  of  the  witnesses  to  Lord  Glamms’s  decision  of  the  dispute 
between  the  convent  of  Lindores  and  the  burgesses  of  Newburgh,  is  designated 
vicar  of  Creich.  The  change  of  appellation  from  rector  to  vicar  shews  that  the 
church  of  Creich  had  been  bestowed  on  Lindores  Abbey  between  the  dates 
mentioned,  but  by  whom  does  not  appear,  there  being  no  record  of  the  bestowal 
in  the  chartulary  of  the  Abbey. 

The  church  of  Creich  is  not  mentioned  in  Boiamund’s  Roll  of  Churches, 
A.D.  1275,  and,  judging  from  the  remains,  it  was  probably  erected  late  in  the 
14th  century. 


flcale  for  Plan.  Scale  for  Poor  & Recesses.  October  1882. 


CUPAR,  F I F E S H I R E. 


£0urd$  of  QtttcfWf. 


UPAR  is  a town  and  parish  of  central  Fife,  a royal  and  parliamentary 
burgh,  and  the  political  capital  of  the  shire.  David  II.  granted  it  a 
charter  in  1363,  but  prior  to  that  it  appears  to  have  enjoyed  the 
jmp,  privileges  of  a royal  burgh.  Old  Cupar  lay  on  the  north  bank  of 
the  river  Eden,  and  had  six  gates  or  ports  at  thoroughfares  which 
mostly  retain  their  ancient  names.  Previous  to  1415,  the  parish  church  stood 
at  some  distance  from  the  town  to  the  north.  It  occupied  a site  at  the  small 
plantation  midway  up  the  avenue  leading  to  Springfield  House,  and  near  to 
what  was  known  in  the  latter  half  of  last  century  as  the  “ Auld  Kirk  Yard.” 
It  was  dedicated  to  St  Mary,  hence  the  name  “ Lady,”  or  St  Mary,  given  to 
the  burn  running  past  the  foot  of  the  field.  The  foundations  were  dug  up  in 
1795,  and  a large  quantity  of  bones  discovered. 

In  the  book  of  Paisley,  referred  to  by  Sibbalcl  in  his  history  of  the  shire, 
we  find  that,  Anno  1415,  “ In  Cupro  de  Fyfe  fundata  est  nova  parochialis 
ecclesia,  quae  prius  distabat  a burgo  ad  plagam  borealem.”  It  was  in  this 
year  then — 1415 — that  the  Prior  of  St  Andrews,  in  order  “that  the  rites  of 
religion  might  be  celebrated  with  a pomp  gratifying  to  the  taste  of  the  age,” 
erected  a new  church  on  the  site  of  the  present  parish  church,  and  in  all 
probability  it  was  dedicated  to  St  Mary.  It  is  described  as  a spacious  and 
magnificent  building  in  the  pointed  style,  with  a tower  at  its  western  extremity. 
Dr  Campbell  says — “ It  was  built  in  the  best  style  of  the  times,  of  polished 
freestone  ; in  length  133  feet,  by  54  feet  in  breadth.  The  roof  was  supported 
by  two  rows  of  arches  extending  the  whole  length  of  the  church  (thereby 
forming  a centre  nave  and  side  aisles).  The  oak  couples  were  of  a circular 
form,  lined  with  wood,  and  painted  in  the  taste  of  the  times.  In  1785  this 
extensive  building  was  found  to  be  in  a state  of  total  decay.  The  heritors  of 
the  parish  resolved  to  pull  down  the  old  fabric,  and  to  erect  on  the  same  site  a 
church  on  a more  convenient  plan.”  Why  these  men  of  taste  (!)  allowed  the 
tower  and  a few  of  the  nave  arches  to  stand  is  hard  to  tell,  but  let  us  be 
thankful  for  the  small  mercy. 

The  position  of  the  tower  has  been  at  the  north-west  corner,  and  it  is 
somewhat  peculiar  in  that  the  west  and  north  faces  of  it  have  been  flush  with 
the  exterior  walls  of  the  church,  and  the  south  and  east  walls  are  carried  by 
arches  ; the  south-east  pier  carrying  these  arches  is  hexagonal  in  plan,  and 
apparently  the  other  nave  columns  have  been  circular.  Against  the  west  wall 
there  is  a respond  to  receive  the  tower  arch  in  line  with  the  nave  arches,  but 
the  arch  spanning  the  north  aisle  is  received  by  a corbel  stop  ; the  arches 
consist  of  two  orders,  with  plain  splayed  edges,  and  rest  on  moulded  capitals 
of  good  second  pointed  character;  the  bases  correspond.  I he  jamb  of  the 
west  window  remains  on  the  north  side,  and  is  of  simple  character.  Inside 
the  tower,  in  the  north-west  corner,  there  is  a circular  newel  stair  leading  to 


the  various  floors,  the  two  lowest  are  arched,  and  the  upper  floor  has  been  of 
timber  carried  on  stone  corbels,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  sections.  It  is  evident 
that  the  thrust  of  the  arches  carrying  the  south  and  east  walls,  and  the  two 
arched  floors,  must  be  very  considerable,  nevertheless  there  are  no  external 
buttresses  such  as  we  almost  invariably  see  in  buildings  of  this  date.  True, 
there  is  no  real  necessity  for  them,  the  weight  of  the  tower  being  amply 
sufficient  to  counterbalance  the  thrust,  still  their  absence  is  unusual. 

The  tower  rises  to  the  very  considerable  height  of  55  feet  before  it  is 
broken  by  string  course  or  off-set ; immediately  below  this  string  course  there 
is  a plain  splayed  pointed  light  on  each  cardinal  face.  The  upper  stage  of  the 
tower  has  been  taken  down  to  this  string  course,  and  rebuilt  very  likely  when 
the  Reverend  William  Scott  built  the  spire,  at  his  own  expense,  in  the  year 
1620.  This  upper  stage  has  two  pointed  lights  on  each  face,  and  is 
surmounted  by  a parapet,  the  corbels  of  which  are  very  similar  to  those  in  the 
examples  at  Crail,  St  Monance,  Kirkcaldy,  &c.,  &c.  ; the  parapet,  however, 
instead  of  being  solid  as  in  these  examples,  is  open,  and  filled  in  with 
miserable  balusters  of  a classic  type,  and  the  panelled  angle  pedestals  support 
pinnacles  that  make  us  long  for  the  touch  of  the  vanished  hand.  The  spire, 
so  generously  added  by  Mr  Scott,  rises  to  a height  of  44  feet  from  the  top  of 
the  tower,  and,  while  of  good  proportion  and  harmonizing  well  with  the 
structure  below  it,  the  detail,  what  little  there  is  of  it,  is  of  debased  character. 
On  the  west  elevation  of  the  tower  there  is  rather  a curious  high  base  course, 
six  feet  from  the  ground  (see  Plate  3),  projecting  from  the  wall  face,  and  having 
square  flowers  cut  out  at  regular  intervals.  Immediately  above,  in  the  same 
wall,  there  is  a narrow  light  with  a triangular  head  of  somewhat  unusual 
character, — a detail  of  it  is  given  on  Plate  5. 

The  bells  are  shewn  on  Plate  6,  and  are  very  good  and  handsome 
examples.  The  pitch  of  the  larger  bell  is  A,  and  the  smaller  C,  so  that  when 
rung  together  they  form  a musical  chord.  Inside  the  church,  in  the  west  wall, 
there  is  the  fine  recumbent  effigy — shewn  on  Plate  7 — it  lies  in  a moulded  and 
arched  recess,  and  is  perfect  in  all  its  parts.  The  effigy  represents  a Fernie  of 
Fernie,  and  may  date  about  the  end  of  the  14th  century  or  beginning  of  the 
15th  century.  Various  members  of  the  family  held  the  office  of  Constable  of 
Cupar.  Aviel  de  Fernin  witnessed  three  charters  of  Duncan,  Earl  of  Fife, 
who  died  in  1203. 

The  neighbouring  parish  of  Tarvit  was  included  in  that  of  Cupar  after 
the  Reformation.  The  church  of  Tarvit  was  dedicated  to  St  Michael,  and  after 
the  union  with  Cupar  the  church  common  to  both  was  called  St  Michael’s. 


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December  1889. 


December  IH&21. 


CROMBIE,  FIFESHIRE. 


C^urcj)  of  ^ 


ROMBIE  was  an  ancient  parish  in  the  S.W.  extremity  of  Fife,  now 
incorporated  with  Torryburn.  The  ruins  of  Crombie  church  occupy 
a commanding  site  overlooking  the  Firth  of  Forth.  The  plan  is 
still  entire,  and  measures  45  feet  in  length  and  14  feet  wide,  inside. 

The  east  gable  has  been  lighted  by  two  narrow  lancets,  like  the  gable 
at  Rossyth,  but  of  somewhat  later  character.  There  is  a small  aumbry  in  the 
east  gable,  south  side.  The  memorial  slab  is  to  Philip,  Laird  of  Kippo, 
“ Mediciner,”  who  died  in  1640,  aged  71.  Several  broken  slabs  are  built  into 
the  walls. 


DAI  RSI  E,  FI  FES  HI  RE. 


£0urc0  of  t$e  (gCeeeei  (XKtrgtn  (TlUrp. 


HAVE  thought  it  well  to  include  this  curious  little  church  of  the 
Pjy  Hth  century  in  my  collection,  although,  strictly  speaking,  it  is  not  a 
Pre-Reformation  church.  It  was  erected  in  1621  by  Archbishop 
pC V Spottiswoode,  the  historian  and  court  favourite.  The  neighbouring 
castle  was  rebuilt  by  him,  and  also  the  bridge  across  the  Eden.  The 
church  is  principally  interesting  as  representing  the  vast  project  of  “ covering 
Scotland  with  such  church  edifices  and  services  as  England  has  retained  ; and 
though  the  structural  part  of  the  project  went  no  further  than  the  building  of 
the  church  of  Dairsie,  and  the  doctrinal  part  was  overwhelmed  in  wild  com- 
motions, it  is  impossible  to  look  without  interest  on  this  quiet  little  memorial 
of  so  brilliant  a failure,  nestled  in  a clump  of  woodland  stretching  down  to  the 
gentle  waters  of  the  Eden.”  The  Archbishop’s  biographer  says,  the  main 
object  he  had  in  view  was  “ the  restoring  the  ancient  discipline,  and  bringing 
that  Church  (the  Church  of  Scotland),  to  some  degrees  of  uniformity  with  her 
sister  church  of  England,  which,  had  we  on  both  sides  been  worthy  of,  might 
have  proved  a wall  of  brass  to  both  nations  ; ” and  in  this  spirit  “ he  built  and 
adorned,  upon  his  own  charges,  the  church  of  Dairsie  after  the  decent  English 
• form  ; which,  if  the  boisterous  hand  of  a mad  Reformation  had  not  disordered, 
is,  at  this  time,  one  of  the  beautifullest  little  pieces  of  church  work  that  is  left 
to  that  unhappy  country.” 

The  last  allusion  refers  to  the  meeting  which  was  held  in  1641  to  apppoint 
a Committee  to  search  for  superstitious  monuments  in  the  several  Presbyteries, 
when  “ Mr  Patrick  Scougall  reported  that  there  were  sundry  crosses  in  their 
Kirk  of  Dairsie  which,  by  some,  were  not  thought  to  be  superstitious,”  and  he 
asked  that  a special  commission  be  sent  to  examine  and  report.  “ They 
assembled  on  2nd  November,  and  reported  that  they  found  that,  at  the 
entrance  of  certain  desks  or  pews,  and  over  the  great  west  door,  ‘ there  are 
crosier  staffes,  in  some  part  alone,  and  in  others  as  aditament  and  cognisance 
of  the  last  pretended  bishop’s  arms,  not  being  any  sign  or  cognisance,  ordinary 
and  common  in  the  arms  of  that  name  or  family,  but  merely  a sign  of  his 
degree  hierarchical,  according  to  the  manner  and  form  used  among  the  Roman 
hierarchists  and  others  following  them,’  and  therefore  the  minister  and  session 
are  to  ‘ take  order  with,’  ” — that  is,  it  may  be  presumed,  remove  them. 
“ Further,  they  find  superstitious  a glorious  partition  wall,  with  a degree 
(step)  ascending  thereto,  dividing  the  body  of  the  Kirk  fra  the  quire  (as  it  is 


ordinarlie  called  in  Papistry,  and  among  them  that  follow  Papists),  and 
because  this  particular  is  not  specially  named  in  the  commission,  and  a great 
part  of  it  is  the  building  and  ornaments  of  some  desks  ; and  above  the  great 
door  of  this  quire,  so  called,  the  arms  of  Scotland  and  England  quartered, 
with  divers  crosses  about  and  beside  them,  are  set  up,  whereupon  the  Kirk 
has  not  particularly  determined  ; therefore  that  part  of  superstition,  or  what  is 
superstition  in  it,  the  brethren  convened  referred,  and  returned  back  to  the 
Provinciall  next  following.”  The  Assembly  directed  the  “ glorious  partition 
wall  of  timber  ” to  be  shortened  to  the  height  to  which  part  of  it  served  for  the 
enclosure  of  pews. 

In  plan  the  building  is  a simple  oblong,  70  feet  long  by  nearly  25  feet 
wide,  and  without  any  division  or  marking  between  the  chancel  and  nave. 
Inside,  at  the  south-west  corner,  there  is  a circular  stair  leading  to  the  belfry. 
Originally  the  roof  externally  was  flat,  like  the  ceiling  inside. 

The  church  is  divided  into  four  bays  externally  by  boldly  projecting 
buttresses,  and  in  the  centre  of  each  bay  there  is  a large  three  light  window, 
the  curtaining  arch  being  pointed,  and  the  lights,  which  stop  below  the 
springing  of  the  arch,  are  trefoil  headed  ; the  arch  of  each  window  is  filled  in 
with  three  cinquefoiled  openings  unmoulded,  and  cut  through  the  flat  stone 
like  a pattern  in  pasteboard.  The  east  end  is  filled  in  with  two  similar 
windows.  The  west  door  is  of  distinct  classic  type,  and  more  like  a secular 
door  of  the  period  than  ecclesiastical.  Indeed,  all  the  mouldings  are  more 
classic  than  Gothic  in  type.  The  belfry  is  curiously  corbelled  out  from  the 
wall  on  the  south  and  west  sides,  and  is  rather  picturesque,  but  possessed  of 
little  architectural  character.  The  interior  is  bald,  and  destitute  of  a single 
feature  worth  notice. 


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DALGETY,  FIFESHIRE. 


CliurcB  of  §&t  QSnbget. 


is  a coast  parish  of  S.W.  Fife,  containing  the  villages  of 
St  David’s,  Fordel,  Mossgreen,  and  part  of  Crossgates.  The  island 
of  Inchcolm  is  in  this  parish.  The  original  village  of  Dalgety  stood 
at  the  head  of  the  bay  of  that  name,  about  half-a-mile  S.S.E.  of  the 
present  church  ; the  old  church  now  is  the  only  remain  marking  the 
site.  The  church  of  St  Bridget  was  dedicated  in  1244,  and  the  original 
remains  seem  to  be  first  pointed  in  style  ; most  of  the  old  features  are  entirely 
gone, — all  the  windows  have  been  altered  apparently  to  admit  more  light. 
One  pointed  doorway  on  the  south  side  of  the  nave  is  in  the  usual  position, 
and  seems  to  be  original,  it  is  of  the  simplest  possible  character  ; there  is  also 
a plain  piscina  in  the  south  wall  of  the  chancel,  close  to  the  east  wall.  In  plan 
it  is  a simple  oblong,  without  aisles  or  any  distinction  in  the  mason  work 
between  nave  and  chancel,  measuring  55  feet  6 inches  long,  by  16  feet  6 inches 
wide.  Rather  a large  building  on  the  north  side  seems  to  have  been  a sacristy 
or  priest’s  residence,  there  being  a fire-place  in  the  east  wall  of  it,  close  to  the 
main  wall  of  the  church,  and  two  very  narrow  lights  in  the  north  wall  ; the 
small  building  projecting  from  the  south  side  seems  also  old. 

The  fine  slab,  dated  1540,  Plate  4,  is  built  into  the  north  wall  of  the 
chancel,  and  is  in  very  good  condition.  The  building  at  the  west  end  of  the 
church  was  erected  after  the  Reformation  ; it  is,  although  roofless,  an  excellent 
piece  of  mason  work,  the  room  inside  having  moulded  stone  panels  between 
the  windows;  the  room  is  approached  by  an  out-jutting  stone  turnpike;  facing 
the  church  there  is  a large  square  headed  opening,  and  inside  the  church  there 
are  evident  marks  of  a wooden  gallery.  The  small  square  room  at  the  south- 
west corner  has  a fire-place  in  it.  In  the  vault  below  the  large  room  lie  the 
mortal  remains  of  Chancellor  Seton,  first  Earl  of  Dunfermline,  born  1555- 
died  1666.  On  the  gable  of  the  west  wall  there  is  a small  bell-cot,  and  a small 
bell  in  it,  shewn  on  Plate  3. 


S*  Bridgets  Church. 


Gyuuxi  d P Loir 


DUNMORE,  FIFESHIRE. 


HIS  chapel  has  been,  to  a great  extent,  built  out  of  old  materials,  very 
probably  from  an  earlier  chapel  on  the  same  site  ; the  size  is  rather 
interesting,  viz.,  43  feet  by  16  feet  inside  the  walls.  There  is  a door 
in  the  north  wall  in  the  usual  position,  but  no  windows ; in  the  south 
^ wall  there  is  a narrow  door  and  two  windows.  The  east  and  west  gables 
are  intact,  and  have  each  a window  pretty  high  up  ; inside,  and  below  the  east 
window,  there  is  a memorial  tablet.  The  following  very  interesting  notes 
about  this  chapel  are  taken  from  Dr  Laing’s  valuable  book,  “ Lindores  and 
its  Abbey  ” : — 

“ Dunmuir,  more  correctly  Dunmore,  is  in  the  parish  of  Abdie.  In  the 
confirmation  of  the  foundation  charter  of  Lindores  Abbey  by  Pope  Innocent 
IIP,  A.D.  1198,  ‘ the  chapel  of  Dundemore  ’ is  described  ‘ as  belonging  to  the 
church  of  Londors.’  The  name  is  evidently  derived  from  the  Gaelic  Dun  more 
the  great  dun  or  fort  on  Normans  Law,  the  Northmans  or  Norwegians’  Law. 
There  is  a small  chapel  on  the  property,  the  walls  of  which  are  nearly  entire, 
but  roofless.  It  is  comparatively  of  modern  erection,  but  the  stones  of  a much 
older  chapel  have  been  used  in  its  construction,  and  it  is  a legitimate  inference 
to  presume  that  they  formed  part  of  the  chapel  existing  A.D.  1198.  Besides 
hewn  work  built  among  the  ruble,  the  lintels  of  the  gable  windows  are  specially 
noticeable,  they  consist  each  of  a single  stone  hewn  into  a semi-circular  or 
arched  form,  almost  identical  with  some  described  by  Dr  Petrie  as  seen  in  very 
ancient  Irish  churches. 

“ The  lands  of  Dunmore  belonged  to  a family  of  great  antiquity,  Henry 
of  Dundemore  was  a witness  to  the  conveyance  of  lands  of  Rathmuryel  to  the 
Monastery  of  Lindores,  at  Lundoris  Abbey  in  the  year  1245  ; John  of  Dunde- 
more was  one  of  the  Regents  of  Alexander  III.  in  his  minority — 1249-1262. 
Thomas  of  Dundemore,  Bishop  of  Ross,  recognised  the  title  of  King  Robert 
the  Bruce  to  the  crown  of  Scotland,  A.D.  1309.  Stephen  of  Dundemore,  of 
that  ilk  in  Fife,  was  elected  Bishop  of  Glasgow,  A.D.  1317. 

“ The  family  of  Ayton  are  buried  in  this  chapel  ; on  the  inside  of  the  east 
gable  there  is  a sandstone  panel  bearing  four  shields,  and  the  initials  J.  A. 
carved  on  it.  Mr  Jervise  is  of  opinion  that  the  third,  as  well  as  the  first,  has 
been  charged  with  the  Ayton  arms  (a  cross  engrailed  between  four  roses).  The 
arms  on  the  second  shield  are  very  much  defaced,  but  enough  remains  to  show 
that  it  had  borne  four  lions  rampant  (for  Wemyss),  which  is  confirmed  by  the 
faint  traces  of  the  letter  W below  the  shield.  The  arms  on  the  fourth  shield 
are  probably  those  of  Lindsay  of  Kirkforthar,  which  are  described  as  a fesse- 
chequee  between  three  stars  in  chief,  and  a hunting  horn  in  base.  The  initials 
and  date  prove  that  the  panel  was  erected  by  Sir  John  Ayton. 

“ The  son  of  Patrick  Murray,  who  acquired  Ayton,  is  said  to  have  been 
buried  in  the  chapel.” 


DYSART,  FIFESHIRE. 


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RT  is  a coast  town  of  Fife,  and  a royal  and  parliamentary  burgh. 
It  is  a place  of  very  great  antiquity,  being  mentioned  in  history  as 
early  as  874.  St  Serf  is  said  to  have  held  his  famous  discussion 
with  Satan  in  a cave  in  Lord  Rosslyn’s  grounds  above  the  church.  The 
name  Dysart  is  said  to  be  from  the  Latin  desertum,  “ a solitude,”  or, 
according  to  Swan,  Dys-ard  Celtic,  signifying  the  height  of  God.  It  was 
originally  a burgh  of  barony  holding  of  the  St  Clairs  of  Rosslyn,  and  was 
erected  a royal  burgh  about  the  beginning  of  the  16th  century.  It  was  a place 
of  considerable  importance  during  the  14th  and  15th  centuries,  and  had  a large 
trade  in  manufactured  salt,  fish,  and  coals  ; and  malting  and  brewing  were 
carried  on  at  a very  early  period.  About  a mile  north  of  the  town  there  is  a 
large  memorial  stone  standing  in  a field,  which,  according  to  tradition,  marks 
the  spot  where  a battle  was  fought  with  the  Danes.  There  is  also  said  to 
have  been  a priory  of  black  friars  in  Dysart,  the  chapel  of  which  was  dedicated 
to  St  Dennis, — part  of  it  still  remains. 

Near  by  stands  the  church  of  St  Serf,  or  rather  what  remains  of  it,  viz., 
the  south-west  tower,  west  gable,  south-west  porch,  part  of  the  south  aisle, 
and  a few  scattered  piers. 

The  west  gable  has  been  lighted  with  one  large  window,  the  monials  and 
tracery  of  which  are  entirely  gone,  the  jamb  is  moulded  and  of  good  character, 
as  are  also  the  nave  arches  and  caps,  see  Plate  4. 

The  tower  is  a large  one,  not  square  as  usual,  but  measuring  29  feet  north 
and  south  by  22  feet  east  and  west ; there  is  a circular  turnpike  stair  in  the 
north-west  corner  inside,  with  a door  entering  from  the  nave  and  another  from 
inside  the  tower.  As  will  be  seen  by  the  section  (Plate  5),  each  floor  has  been 
of  wood,  the  beams  carried  on  stone  corbels.  In  the  north-east  corner  of  the 
tower  there  is  an  oblong  shaped  opening  which  may  possibly  have  been  a 
squint.  The  windows  in  the  lower  part  of  the  tower,  and  also  those  giving 


light  to  the  stair,  are  narrow  and  square  headed,  and  curiously  disposed,  their 
jambs,  sills,  and  lintels  are  simply  splayed.  The  tower  is  divided  into  three 
stages  by  small  string-courses,  and  high  up  in  the  top  stage,  just  under  the 
corbelled  parapet,  there  is  a pointed  light  in  each  cardinal  face,  with  moulded 
jambs  ; the  top  has  rather  a peculiar  look,  owing  to  the  small  saddle-back 
gable  on  top  of  the  stair,  and  another  saddle-back  roof  at  right  angles  to  it 
running  from  north  to  south,  both  are  finished  with  the  usual  “ corbie  or 


crow  step.  The  south-west  porch  seems  of  later  date,  and  is  entered  by  a 
large  round  headed  opening ; the  character  of  the  moulded  jamb  is  distinctly 
Scotch,  there  is  no  hood  moulding  but  a label  immediately  above  the  arch  ; in 
the  gable  there  is  a saint’s  niche,  with  enriched  canopy  and  bracket,  and  inside, 
in  the  same  position,  there  is  another  small  niche  with  a trefoil  head,  and  a 
winged  head  forming  the  bracket.  The  roof  is  arched,  and  covered  outside 
with  stone  flags.  There  are  the  usual  side  seats  of  stone  within  it.  The  inner 
entrance  has  been  checked  to  receive  a wooden  door,  and  inside  the  aisle  to  the 
right  or  east  side  of  the  door  there  is  a small  mutilated  “ holy  water  basin.” 
The  windows  in  the  south  aisle  have  been  pretty  large  and  square  headed,  but 
I am  inclined  to  think  this  aisle  was  a later  addition  and  built  with  the  south- 
west porch  ; there  has  also  been  considerable  alteration  in  the  nave,  as  the 
second  nave  pier  from  the  west  has  been  built  fully  6 feet  in  length,  and  the 
responds  facing  east  and  west  are  of  different  heights  to  the  top  of  the  caps, 
shewing  that  the  arches  to  the  east  had  their  springing  at  a higher  level  than 
those  remaining  to  the  west.  The  whole  appearance  of  the  remains  point,  I 
think,  to  the  existing  west  portion  having  been  a first  addition  to  the  original 
building,  and  the  south  aisle  and  porch  a second  addition.  The  same  thing 
seems  to  have  been  done  at  Aberdour  and  elsewhere.  The  remains  at  Dysart 
are  of  second  pointed  character,  and  the  church  was  dedicated  to  St  Serf 
in  1245. 


Cfhurch.  of-  jSf1  jSferf . 


llov**rnber  ID84. 


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FORGAN,  FIFESHIRE. 


£0urt$  of  jjftffan. 


HE  parish  was  anciently  called  St  Fillans,  from  the  church  being 
dedicated  to  that  Saint.  The  church  is  beautifully  situated  in  a 
sequestered  spot,  about  2\  miles  from  Newport,  and  prior  to  the 
^§p  Reformation  it  belonged  to  the  Priory  of  St  Andrews.  The  building 
has  been  of  the  plainest  possible  description,  and  possesses  no  feature  of 
interest.  It  is  an  oblong  of  67  feet  4 inches,  by  19  feet  5 inches  inside,  with  a 
modern  aisle  or  transept  about  the  middle  of  the  north  side.  There  is  a door, 
blocked,  in  the  south  wall  near  the  west  end,  and  another  in  the  same  wall  at 
the  east  end  ; the  jamb  is  a little  peculiar.  There  appears  to  have  been  no 
windows  in  the  north  side,  and  only  one  in  the  east  gable.  The  slab  shewn 
lies  in  the  chancel,  close  to  the  door  in  the  south  side,  and  is  in  memory  of 
Mrs  Catherine  Trail,  spouse  of  William  Ramsay,  it  bears  the  date  of  1578. 


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INGHCOLM  ISLAND,  FIFESHIRE. 


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HE  late  Sir  James  Y.  Simpson,  Bart.,  first  described  this  interesting 
early  cell  in  his  admirable  paper  read  before  the  Society  of 
Antiquaries  of  Scotland,  published  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Society , 
vol.  ii,  p.  489,  and  also  in  A rchceological  Essays  by  the  late  Sir  James 
Y.  Simpson,  edited  by  John  Stuart,  LL.D.,  vol.  i,  p.  67.  Shortly  after 
Sir  James  Y.  Simpson  described  it,  the  Earl  of  Moray,  who  is  proprietor,  had 
the  ceil  cleaned  out  and  repaired,  the  necessary  plans  having  been  prepared  by 
Mr  Brash  of  Cork,  the  well-known  architect  and  antiquary,  who  was  an 
intimate  friend  of  Sir  James  Y.  Simpson.  Some  slight  differences  in  plan 
and  in  the  sizes  will  be  observed  between  the  plan  published  in  Sir  James  Y. 
Simpson’s  paper  and  the  plan  and  sizes  as  shewn  by  me,  but  in  all  the  main 
features  they  agree,  and  the  description  of  the  cell  by  Sir  James  is  so  full  and 
complete  that  I think  it  altogether  unnecessary  for  me  to  enter  into  a long 
account  of  it.  The  eminent  archaeologist,  Dr  Petrie,  the  well-known  author  of 
“ The  Round  Towers  and  Ancient  Architecture  of  Ireland,”  added  copious  and 
valuable  notes  to  Simpson’s  paper. 

Joseph  Anderson,  LL.D.,  also  gives  a clear  and  concise  description  of  the 
cell  in  his  valuable  work,  “ Scotland  in  Early  Christian  Times,”  and  I have 
thought  it  well  to  reproduce  his  remarks  here.  He  says — writing  of  the  single 
chambered  primitive  church — “ There  are  but  two  varieties, — those  built  with 
lime,  and  those  that  have  reached  the  utterly  simple  character  of  construction 
that  consists  in  the  placing  of  stone  upon  stone  without  any  binding  material 
to  keep  them  together.  One  of  the  best  examples  of  the  first  variety  is  almost 
at  our  own  doors.  In  the  Island  of  Inchcolm,  beside  the  ruins  of  the  well- 
known  monastery  founded  by  Alexander  I.,  is  an  earlier  building,  stone-roofed, 
and  of  small  size  and  rude  construction.  It  has  been  most  minutely  described 
by  Sir  James  Simpson,  who  first  saw  the  significance  of  its  peculiar  features. 
It  is  irregular  in  form,  on  the  ground  plan  approximately  rectangular  internally, 
and  measuring  16  feet  in  length  along  the  centre  of  the  floor,  and  6 feet  3 
inches  across  the  east  end,  and  4 feet  9 inches  at  the  west  end.  1 he  walls  are 
about  3 feet  thick,  so  that  its  external  length  is  about  22  feet.  1 he  original 
doorway  is  in  the  south  wall,  near  the  west  end.  It  is  5 feet  high,  and  4 feet 
wide,  with  slightly  inclining  jambs.  It  is  arched  externally  by  a radiating 
arch,  roughly  constructed,  but  internally  the  arch  is  changed  into  the  older 
form,  which  is  constructed  by  overlapping  stones  on  the  horizontal  principle. 


There  is  only  one  window,  placed  in  the  east  end,  23  inches  in  height  and  10 
inches  in  breadth,  splaying  inwardly  to  a width  of  2 feet  3 inches.  The  roof 
of  the  building  is  vaulted  with  stones  placed  in  the  form  of  a radiating  arch, 
somewhat  pointed  at  the  apex,  and  the  centring  stones  roughly  wedge-shaped. 
The  space  between  the  upper  surface  of  the  vaulting  and  the  stone  roof  is  filled 
in  with  small  stones  and  a grouting  of  lime.  In  this  are  bedded  the  oblong- 
squared  stones  which  form  the  roof.  Such  are  the  simple  features  of  the 
Scotic  structure  to  whose  existence  on  the  island  the  larger  monastery  in  the 
European  style  of  architecture,  which  has  over-shadowed  it  for  seven  centuries, 
owes  its  origin.  In  Bower’s  Continuation  of  Fordun,  it  is  recorded  that  when 
King  Alexander  was  storm-stayed  for  three  days  on  the  island  in  the  year 
1123,  he  shared  the  hospitality  of  a hermit  who  then  lived  upon  it,  and  who, 
belonging  to  the  service  of  S.  Columba,  devoted  himself  to  his  duties  at  a 
certain  little  chapel  there,  content  with  such  poor  food  as  the  milk  of  one  cow, 
and  the  shell  and  small  sea  fishes  he  could  collect.  It  adds  to  the  interest  of 
this  testimony  that  these  words  were  written  by  Abbot  Bower  in  the  monastery 
of  Inchcolm,  which  was  erected  by  the  King  in  fulfilment  of  a vow  made  in 
the  hermit’s  chapel.” 

Inchcolm  is  in  Aberdour  parish. 


ora  lory  all  luck  CoUn 


1NVERKEITHING,  FIFESHIRE. 


£0utcf$  of  (p^er. 


^NVERKEITHING  is  ast  town  and  parish  of  S.W.  Fife.  The 
1|  original  parish  church,  dedicated  to  S.  Peter,  was  bequeathed  in  1139 
t0  Dunfermline  Abbey  by  Waldeve,  son  of  Gospatric.  The  church 
pT  was  burned  in  1825,  and  reconstructed  in  1826.  The  middle-pointed 
western  tower  is  all  that  remains  of  the  original  church.  It  is  square 
and  of  three  stages,  and  terminates  in  a modern  wooden  polygonal  spire, 
rising  within  a plain  parapet  resting  on  heavy  corbels  arranged  at  regular 
intervals.  Two  long  buttresses,  with  chamfered  angles  and  plain  sloping 
heads,  finishing  rather  higher  than  the  commencement  of  the  first  stage,  are 
placed  at  the  angles.  At  the  south-east  corner  there  is  a belfry  turret,  appear- 
ing externally  as  a bold  semi-octagonal  projection  divided  into  two  stages,  and 
finished  off  in  a steep  pyramidal  stone  capping,  whose  point  reaches  within 
two  feet  of  the  corbel  course.  The  belfry  stage  contains  a pointed  window 
with  somewhat  curious  tracery  in  the  head,  and  the  second  and  lower  stages 
have  each  a small  lancet-headed  light.  The  lower  stage  has  a large  modern 
door  in  the  western  face.  The  belfry  turret  is  entered  from  the  outside  by  a 
square  headed  door,  and  small  square  headed  openings  light  the  stair.  The 
bell  is  a good  one,  and  is  dated  1641.  The  font  is  a fine  and  perfect  example 
of  middle-pointed  date.  The  bowl  was  discovered  in  1807,  when  the  lower 
part  of  the  tower  was  turned  into  an  entrance  porch.  It  had  evidently  been 
buried  there  to  save  it  from  destruction.  The  pedestal,  or  shaft,  had  been 
lying  about  the  outside  of  the  church  without  attracting  any  attention  up  till 
the  time  the  bowl  was  unearthed,  when  their  connection  became  plain.  It  was 
then  re-erected,  in  its  complete  state,  inside  the  new  porch,  where  it  remained 
for  some  years,  but  was  afterwards  removed  to  a spot  near  the  pulpit,  where  it 
now  stands,  and  is  regularly  used  for  public  baptisms.  The  bowl  is  hexagonal, 
and  carries  at  each  angle  an  embattled  cylindrical  shaft  terminating  in  a corbel 
head.  Each  of  the  panelled  faces  is  filled  in  with  an  angel  holding  a blazoned 
shield.  The  orifice  is  spherical,  and  has  a bottom  drain.  Idle  pedestal  is 
formed  of  five  filleted  rolls,  alternating  with  a small  triangular-shaped  member 
between  ; each  roll  has  a foliated  cap  and  heavily  moulded  base. 


So  far  as  can  be  made  out,  the  following  appear  to  be  the  arms  on  th 
respective  shields  : — 

1.  Quarterly,  ist  and  4th,  three  bay?  leaves — Foulis  of  Colintoun  ? 2nd 

and  3rd,  saltire  and  chief,  wavy — Bruce  of  Balcaskie. 

2.  A fess  chequy  between  three  crescents — Stewart. 

3.  A fess  between  three  crescents — Melville  of  Glenbervie. 

4.  Per  pale,  dexter  side,  a lion  rampant  within  a double  tressure — Lyon 

of  Glammis  ; and  sinister  side  of  bars,  wavy — Drummond. 

5.  Lion  rampant  within  a double  tressure — Lyon  of  Glammis. 

6.  An  eagle  displayed,  surmounted  by  a bend  with  three  crescents — 


Ramsay  of  Dunoun. 

The  dimensions  are  as  follows  : — 

Feet. 

Inches. 

Total  height, .... 

4 

I 

Over  bowl,  . 

3 

2 

Diameter  of  orifice, 

2 

O 

Depth  of  orifice,  . 

1 

O 

Church  of  ST.  PeTei? 


- Church  of  ST.  Peter 


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t4l.Tj.4m  i 


Churc h oft  Pefter.  InVerkei fthin o . Bapfenial  Foul1. 


Pjcm  ==j£cq|e  :ot* 


KILCONQUHAR,  FIFESHIRE. 


£0urcl5  of  (Hlonan. 


IpILCONQUHAR  is  a coast  parish  in  the  East  Neuk  of  Fife,  and  once 
included  the  barony  of  S.  Monance  and  the  parish  of  Elie.  The 
church  and  churchyard  are  finely  situated  on  the  north  side  of 
Kilconquhar  Loch,  a very  beautiful  fresh  water  lake.  As  will  be  seen, 
very  little  remains  of  the  old  church,  which  was  consecrated  in  1243 
and  dedicated  to  S.  Monan.  The  existing  remains  point  to  the  15th  century 
as  the  likely  period  of  erection. 


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KIRKCALDY,  FIFESHIRE. 


£0urc0  of  (pafrtcfi. 


I^IRKCALDY  is  said  to  have  been  an  ancient  place  of  worship 
belonging  to  the  Culdees,  whence  the  name  Kilculda,  the  cell  or 
place  of  worship  of  the  Culdees,  afterwards  corrupted  into  Kirkcaldy. 
Prior  to  the  Reformation,  the  greater  portion  of  the  parish  of  Abbotshall 
belonged  to  the  parish  of  Kirkcaldy,  but  about  1650  a new  parish,  now 
called  Abbotshall,  was  erected,  and  the  parish  of  Kirkcaldy  now  consists  of  the 
burgh  of  that  name,  and  the  burgh  acres  and  common  land. 

In  1334  David  II.  mortified  the  burgh  to  the  Monastery  of  Dunfermline, 
in  whose  possession  it  remained  until  1450,  and  was  then  conveyed  to  the 
bailies  and  community  by  the  commendator  and  convent.  Little  is  known 
about  Kirkcaldy  when  it  was  disjoined  from  the  Lordship  of  Dunfermline. 
According  to  the  legendary  origin,  the  town  was  founded  as  early  as  the  6th 
century  by  St  Columba,  who  is  said  to  have  built  here  one  of  his  300  churches. 

The  west  tower  is  all  that  remains  of  the  Pre-Reformation  church,  and  is 
of  late  second  pointed  date.  It  is  divided  into  two  stages  by  a slight  string- 
course. There  is  a long  single  lancet  on  each  cardinal  face  in  the  upper  stage, 
with  a segmental  rear  arch.  In  the  south-west  corner  there  is  a circular  turn- 
pike stair,  starting  from  what  has  evidently  been  a first  floor  at  a height  of  20 
feet  from  the  ground  floor  ; it  is  lighted  by  square  headed  slits  in  the  south 
wall.  The  tower  has  the  usual  corbelled  parapet,  and  has  a hideous  modern 
erection  on  top  as  a belfry  ; the  bell  is  rather  a nice  one  (see  Plate  2).  I he 
grave  slabs  on  Plate  2 are  in  memory  of  a mariner  and  his  wife,  and  are 
apparently  of  17th  century  date. 


ftoivtR  bvlevlitloii. 


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Inscription  and  Ornament'  round  Bell  One  quart  er  real  SiXe 


LEUCHARS,  FIFESHIRE. 


of  3U§tTnatst.  <£>&\utt*  1244. 


LL  that  is  now  left  of  this  beautiful  and  characteristic  specimen  of 
Norman  art  is  the  chancel  and  semi-circular  apse.  The  church  at 
Dalmeny  is  the  most  complete  Norman  example  left  us,  but  Leuchars 
has  been  a much  nobler  edifice,  and  when  we  think  of  the  wholesale 
destruction  that  has  overtaken  our  antiquities— alike  secular  and  ecclesi- 
astical— we  cannot  but  feel  thankful  that  such  a charming  piece  of  work  is  still 
left  us.  If  as  much  of  the  beautiful  church  at  Tynninghame,  which  is  nearly 
similar  in  plan  but  somewhat  later  in  date,  had  been  spared,  it  would  have 
been  no  small  happiness  to  lovers  of  art, — indeed,  Europe  might  be  ransacked, 
without  success,  for  examples,  on  the  same  scale,  to  match  them. 

The  chancel  inside  measures  19  feet  long  by  17  feet  8 inches  wide,  and 
the  apse  11  feet  7 inches  by  12  feet  9 inches,  the  thickness  of  the  chancel  and 
apse  arches  being  each  3 feet.  The  chancel  arch,  opening  into  the  modern 
nave,  is  9 feet  wide,  and  the  apse  arch  8 feet  9 inches  wide.  As  will  be  seen 
from  the  Plates,  there  is  a great  variety  of  ornamental  detail  of  the  usual 
Romanesque  character  used  throughout  the  work. 

The  chancel  is  lighted  by  two  narrow  round  headed  lights  in  the  upper 
stage  of  the  south  wall,  and  by  a similar  single  light  in  the  north  wall.  The 
apse  has  three  lights,  one  facing  east,  one  north-east,  and  the  third  south-east. 
All  the  windows  are  widely  splayed  within,  and  in  the  inner  wall  face  there  are 
nook  shafts,  with  bases  and  capitals,  carrying  arches  ornamented  in  various 
ways.  The  apse  is  vaulted  in  stone,  and  has  vaulting  ribs,  moulded,  and 
springing  from  capitalled  shafts,  and  grotesque  corbel  heads  for  bases  resting 
on  the  lozenge  covered  trigonal  string-course  which  runs  round  the  apse. 
The  chancel  and  apse  arches  are  very  beautiful,  and  of  fine  proportion. 

Externally,  the  building  presents  a considerable  amount  and  variety  of 
decorative  detail.  The  walls  of  the  chancel  are  divided  into  two  stages  by  a 
broad  trigonal  string-course,  with  a continuous  leaf-shaped  ornament  on  the 
centre  portion.  The  under  stage  is  filled  in  with  an  intersecting  arcade, 
forming  an  arcade  of  five  divisions  ; the  arches  are  formed  of  an  outer  fillet 
and  single  hollow  and  roll,  and  spring  from  coupled  cylindrical  bearing  shafts, 
with  double  escalloped  capitals  with  a heavy  abacus  over  ; the  bases  are  of  the 
usual  type,  and  have  a square  plinth  below  embracing  both  shafts,  and  resting 
on  a heavy  moulded  upper  base  course  running  round  both  chancel  and  apse. 
The  upper  stage  is  divided  into  an  arcade  of  five,  the  centres  being  placed 
without  any  regard  to  those  below  ; the  arch  molds  are  heavy,  and  consist  of 


a series  of  rolls  and  hollows,  the  outer  hollow  being  filled  in  with  the  cable 
moulding  set  between  two  small  sharp-edged  triangular  members  ; the  abacus 
is  plain  and  bevelled  on  the  under  side ; the  capitals  are  similar  to  those  in  the 
lower  arcade,  but  the  shafts  are  not  coupled,  but  form  nook  shafts  separated 
from  each  other  by  a narrow  built  pier.  Above  this  arcade  there  is  a bold 
table-course,  supported  by  large  corbels  carved  into  various  figures  representing 
ram  heads,  bears,  and  other  grotesque  figures  usually  found  in  buildings  of 
this  period. 

In  a somewhat  similar  manner  the  apse  is  divided  into  two  stages  ; the 
lower  arcade  has  coupled  shafts,  with  caps  and  bases  the  same  as  the  chancel, 
but  supported  by  single  arches  only,  decorated  with  the  chevron  ornament ; the 
upper  arcade  is  in  every  way  similar  to  the  corresponding  arcade  in  the  chancel, 
except  that  the  arches  are  decorated  with  the  billet  moulding  on  the  outer  ring, 
and  a chevron  on  the  inner  ring.  The  corbel  table  is  of  the  same  character  as 
that  on  the  chancel.  The  apse  is  disfigured,  and  the  whole  proportions  much 
injured,  by  a late  17th  century  bell-tower  built  on  the  top  of  the  vaulting, — in 
itself  it  is  squat  and  ungainly,  but  the  softening  hand  of  time  has  helped  to 
improve  its  appearance.  The  chancel  (see  Plate  12),  contains  a slab  in  memory 
of  Sir  William  Bruce  of  Earlshall,  companion  of  Claverhouse,  and  his  wife 
Dame  Agnes  Lyndesay, — she  died  in  1635,  Sir  William  in  1584.  On  the 
same  Plate  is  shewn  a slab,  also  in  the  chancel,  to  the  memory  of  Robert 
Carnegie  of  Kinnaird,  Knight,  one  of  the  Senators  in  Ordinary,  who  died  in 
the  Castle  of  Leuchars  on  the  5th  of  June  1565,  aged  55  years. 

Leuchars  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  Registry  of  the  Priory  of  St 
Andrews  under  the  various  names  of  Lochris,  Locres,  Lochiresch,  Lucris,  &c. 
It  is  mentioned  in  a confirmatory  bill  by  Pope  Gregory  to  the  Priory  of  St 
Andrews  in  1187.  Billings,  in  his  “ Baronial  and  Ecclesiastical  Antiquities,” 
says — “ It  is  interesting  to  find  this  specimen  of  pure  Norman  architecture 
connected  with  a family  name  as  purely  indicative  of  one  of  those  Norman 
adventurers,  whose  names  disappeared  from  the  territorial  records  of  a large 
part  of  Scotland  after  the  war  of  independence,  and  who,  before  that  event,  seem 
to  have  nearly  partitioned  the  Kingdom  between  them.  It  appears  that  a 
Nesius  de  Quincy  had,  in  the  days  of  William  the  Lion,  conferred  the  church 
of  Leuchars  on  the  Priory,  but  that  his  nephew  had  attempted  to  resume  the 
patronage,  by  presenting  as  the  clerk  a certain  Simon  de  Quincy,  and  the 
Abbots  of  Arbroath,  Lindores,  and  Cupar  were  appointed  to  inquire  into  and 
settle  the  dispute  so  arising.” 

Leuchars  is  best  known  to  the  world  in  later  times  as  having  been  the 
first  parochial  charge  of  Alexander  Henderson,  one  of  the  boldest  champions 
of  Presbyterianism  ; he  is  supposed  to  have  entered  on  his  charge  about  1611. 
He  was  presented  by  the  obnoxious  Archbishop  Gladstanes. 


Church  of  S*  Cltkerncise  ■=— 

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South  EleVotLon.  . 


Leuelians  , FifesliLpe* 


fHiureh.  of  (ltheraase 


Cliureli  of  Qtliepuase 


Lon<ri-tu<litniL  Sec  Ho  it  loohin.tr  South. . 


Church,  of  S’  Qthemuse. 
=Leuehars  .~Fi.fesht.PC 


3ca[P  «f  Feet.  Scale  for  QThT  *uVu*t  1*8*. 


Church,  of  Other  nose 
Leuchara  , FLfeshire.= 


lie  fi>i* Voultiiuf  Shaft'S 


Church  of  SL  Cither* ucise  = 
-Leuc  liars  , Fife  shire  . 


Plan,  wf  ll|)|»et«  fire  ode  . 


Church  o£  S*  (It  hern  use  . 
=LeuehaPS  , Fi.£c shire  . 


.Scale  of  Tee  t . 


Slobs  in  CbaiiceL 


Scale  of  Feel 


MARKINCH,  FIFESHIRE. 


of  ^§.  £»>.  (Tftoimtef  anb  Jpb'  QSapftef. 


EFORE  the  Reformation  this  Church  belonged  to  the  Priory  of  St 
Andrews.  The  tower  is  all  that  belongs  to  the  original  church,  and 
is  particularly  interesting  on  account  of  its  being  one  of  the  five 
specimens  of  pure  Norman  towers  of  which  mainland  Scotland  can 
boast ; and  these,  be  it  observed,  are  all  located  at  no  great  distance 
from  the  Markinch  example,  viz.,  at  Dunning,  Muthill,  Dunblane  and  St 
Andrews.  The  Markinch  specimen  is  an  excellent  and  nearly  perfect  one  of 
four  unequal  stages.  The  only  original  entrance  has  been  by  a small 
segmental-headed  door  on  the  north  side,  raised  about  a foot  or  so  above  the 
ground  ; the  door  leads  into  a turnpike  stair  in  the  north-west  corner.  Each 
stage  is  marked  externally  by  a string  course,  the  two  lower  ones  are  orna- 
mented with  the  common  lozenge  shaped  pattern  seen  in  Norman  work,  the 
upper  string  course  is  plain  and  deeply  splayed  on  the  under  side.  The  upper 
stage  sets  back  above  the  string  course,  and  is  therefore  narrower  on  each  face 
than  those  below,  which  stand  plumb  above  each  other.  The  second  and 
third  stages  have  each  had  a small  semi-circular  headed  light  in  the  west  side, 
very  deeply  splayed  within  ; they  are  now  built  up.  The  staircase  is  lighted 
by  small  pear  shaped  slits,  with  wide  internal  splays. 

The  upper  or  belfry  stage  is  pierced  on  each  cardinal  face  by  a window  of 
two  narrow  lights,  with  small  semi-circular  arches  resting  on  a central  shaft, 
and  shafted  imposts  flush  with  the  external  wall,  the  caps  and  abacus  are  of 
the  ordinary  Norman  type.  Although  the  lights  appear  singly  externally, 
they  are  enclosed  internally  by  a containing  arch  (see  Plate  2),  a peculiarity 
which  does  not  appear  in  any  of  the  other  examples.  The  upper  portion  of 
the  top  stage  has  evidently  been  rebuilt  at  a later  period,  and  has  a dome- 
vaulted  roof.  Mr  J.  S.  Muir  says  that  “ topping  it  there  was  originally  a low 
pyramidal  stone  capping,  surmounted  by  a rod  and  weathercock,  but  in  1807 
this  characteristic  feature  was  removed  by  a coarse  architect  to  make  way  for 
a clumsy  lump  of  masonry  which  could  have  been  better  employed  in  feeding 
the  starved  affair  now  occupying  the  site  of  the  original  church.”  The  Parish 
is  now  in  the  Presbytery  of  St  Andrews  and  Synod  of  Fife.  Near  the  garden 
entrance  to  Balbirnie  stands  an  old  weather  worn  cross  about  seven  feet  high, 
with  faint  traces  of  carving  on  it.  The  men  of  Markinch  are  said  to  have 
been  warmly  attached  to  the  Covenanting  cause,  in  defence  of  which  they 
spent  “ lives,  lands  and  gear.” 


■""=*  * i^ani^T>VM== 

tn.|Of  ^H^njpoJV^cJ  jo  T|D«4TI\|3 


OcHibvr  UM 


Church.  of  S » « Motlmfil  uft  %Johri 
— —Murk  l rich.  . Fi-Cesh-lce 


cUort  loohin.tr  II  orl~h.. 


MAY  ISLAND. 


£ !) u t- c !}  of  it b f t a n. 


HE  Isle  of  May  is  an  extra-parochial  island  of  Fife,  and  contains  the 
ruins  of  a 13th  century  chapel  dedicated  to  S.  Adrian,  who,  with 
6006  other  Hungarians,  is  said  to  have  been  killed  by  the  Danes 
about  870,  and  buried  here.  Wm.  F.  Skene  identifies  S.  Monan,  one 
of  S.  Adrian’s  followers,  with  Moinenn,  Bishop  of  Clonfert  in  the  6th 
century,  whose  relics  were  probably  brought  from  Ireland  to  Fife  by  a body  of 
clerics  and  laymen  expelled  by  the  Danes. 

David  I.  founded  a monastery  here  before  the  middle  of  the  12th  century, 
and  granted  it  to  the  Benedictine  Abbey  of  Reading,  in  Berkshire,  on  condition 
that  they  should  place  and  maintain  twelve  priests  therein  to  say  mass  for 
himself  and  his  predecessors  and  successors. 

In  1318  all  the  rights  to  the  Priory  of  May  were  transferred  to  the  canons 
of  S.  Andrews,  when  a Priory  at  Pittenweem  seems  to  have  been  substituted 
for  that  on  the  island.  The  chapel,  however,  appears  still  to  have  been  main- 
tained out  of  reverence  for  S.  Adrian  and  other  saints  buried  here,  and  great 
numbers  of  pilgrims  annually  visited  and  worshipped  at  the  shrine.  James  IV. 
was  a frequent  visitor,  and  is  said  to  have  been  here,  a fortnight  before  the  fatal 
field  of  Flodden.  The  monastery  was  situated  in  a hollow  near  the  south-east 
end  of  the  island,  and  its  chapel  was  dedicated  to  All  Saints,  with  altars  to 
S.  Ethernan  and  S.  Mary  V. 

The  following  extract,  from  a description  of  S.  Adrian’s  chapel  by  Mr  T. 
S.  Muir,  very  well  describes  it : — 

“ This  solitary  fragment,  which  seemingly  has  been  a chapel,  stands  nearly 
due  north  and  south  by  compass,  and  measures  internally  within  a few  inches 
of  32  feet  in  length.  From  the  character  of  the  two  windows  in  the  west  wall, 
I should  infer  that  the  building  is  of  thirteenth  century  date.  Their  tops  are 
cut  out  of  one  stone,  obtusely  pointed,  the  inner  or  rear  openings  arched  semi- 
circularly  as  in  Norman  work,  and  splayed  enormously.  There  is  a tall 
window,  as  I presume  it  was,  with  a round  head  in  the  south  end,  set  square 
in  the  wall,  and  another,  likewise  fashioned,  wanting  the  head,  raised  in  the 
north  end.  The  only  aperture  in  the  east  side  of  the  chapel  is  a ragged  gap 
near  its  southern  extremity,  which  must  have  been  a doorway.  Extending 
eastward  of  this,  and  in  a line  with  the  south  elevation  of  the  building,  there 
is  the  foundation  of  a thick  wall,  traceable  for  rather  more  than  forty  feet ; so 


that  it  is  evident  the  doorway  in  question  did  not  open  on  the  outside,  but 
was  an  interior  communication  between  the  chapel  and  some  larger  building, 
forming  in  all  likelihood  the  main  structure  of  the  ccenobium. 

“ Since  its  erection  the  existing  fragment  has  been  subjected  to  several 
innovations,  though  fortunately  without  being  much  injured  by  them.  There 
are — (i)  a large  press  or  locker  in  the  upper  part  of  the  west  wall,  by  the 
insertion  of  which  the  rear  arch  of  the  window  nearest  the  north  end  has  been 
mutilated  ; (2)  an  oven  formed  in  the  bottom  of  the  south  window  ; (3)  a 
circular  tower,  pierced  near  to  its  base  with  oillets  or  shot-holes,  partly  embrac- 
ing the  south-west  corner  of  the  chapel  ; and  (4),  a low  narrow  rectangular 
building  (greatly  reduced),  showing  traces  of  a vaulted  roof  running  along  the 
entire  breadth  of  the  chapel  at  the  north  end.  The  oven  is  quite  a modern 
interpolation,  but  the  locker,  tower,  and  northern  appendage  are  of  some  age, 
and  have  evidently  been  contrived  for  defensive  purposes.” 

Since  Mr  Muir  described  it,  the  chapel  has  been  carefully  cleared  of  all 
rubbish  and  the  walls  pointed.  The  stone  coffin  is  probably  of  13th  century 
date.  According  to  a baseless  tradition  of  modern  date,  the  fragment  of  a 
similar  coffin,  now  in  the  tower  of  the  church  of  Anstruther  Wester,  formed 
part  of  this  coffin  in  S.  Adrian’s  chapel,  and  floated  across  to  Anstruther. 

The  font  is  a much  mutilated  but  interesting  bowl,  evidently  of  early  date. 
The  bowl  has  been  square,  with  a circular  orifice  and  bottom  drain  ; the  holes 
for  fixing  the  lid  are  still  fairly  perfect.  It  lies  within  the  ruined  chapel  of 
S.  Adrian.  The  dimensions  are — 

Feet.  Inches. 

Diameter  of  bowl,  . . 2 4 

Depth  of  bowl,  ...  1 8 

Diameter  of  orifice,  . . 1 2 

Depth  of  orifice, 


1 


2 


giccrtp 


MONIMAIL,  FIFESHIRE. 


C#utc$  of 


ONIMAIL  is  a central  Parish  of  Fifeshire,  and  one  of  the  largest 
in  the  shire.  The  lands  of  Monimail  anciently  belonged  to  the 
Archbishop  of  St  Andrews,  who  had  a castle  here.  The  keep, 
known  as  Melville  Tower,  still  remains  standing  to  the  north  of 
Melville  House ; some  of  the  outer  walls  of  the  castle  are  close  up  to 
the  boundary  wall  of  the  churchyard.  The  castle  was  originally  built  by 
Bishop  William  Lamberton,  who  died  in  June  1328,  and  appears  to  have 
been  enlarged  and  improved  by  Cardinal  Beaton, — several  heads,  with  a 
cardinal’s  cap,  are  cut  on  the  parapet  of  the  keep.  Archbishop  Hamilton 
resided  at  the  castle  during  a severe  illness,  when  he  is  said  to  have  been 
attended  and  cured  by  a famous  Italian  physician  named  Cardan.  About  a 
mile  from  the  site  of  the  old  church  is  a strong  spring  of  pure  water  known  by 
the  name  of  Cardan’s  Well  (now  corrupted  into  Carseiwell),  so  called,  says 
tradition,  because  it  was  by  the  use  of  this  water  that  the  physician  cured  the 
Archbishop.  A belief  long  prevailed  as  to  the  medicinal  properties  of  this 
spring  well  and  it  used  to  be  visited  by  many  patients,  but  now  its  reputation 
is  gone  and  its  situation  almost  forgotten.  It  is  a question  whether  the  name 
Cardan  belongs  to  an  early  saint  of  that  name,  or  to  the  physician  above 
referred  to. 

The  village  of  Letham  is  the  largest  in  the  parish,  and  also  belonged  to 
the  Archbishops  of  St  Andrews. 

The  Church  of  Monimail  was  originally  a mensal  church  belonging  to  the 
Archbishops  of  St  Andrews,  and  was  finally  abandoned  for  a new  building,  a 
short  distance  to  the  east,  about  1796.  The  original  churchyard,  however, 
where  many  generations  of  the  hamlet  sleep,  is  still  in  use,  and  the  interior  of 
the  old  church  is  appropriated  for  burial  purposes.  Little  remains  of  the 

church — the  most  of  the  nave  has  been  taken  down,  but  the  walls  of  the 

chancel  are  intact  up  to  a height  of  five  feet  or  so.  The  width  of  the  chancel 
is  18  feet,  a very  common  size.  A south  aisle  would  seem  to  have  been  added, 
probably  at  the  Reformation. 

On  the  north  side  stands  the  Leven  and  Melville  burial  vault.  It  was 
originally  open  to  the  church,  and  was  doubtless  seated  and  used  by  the 

family,  the  vault  being  below.  Here  rest  the  mortal  remains  of  several  of  the 

family,  including  the  deeply  lamented  Alexander,  Viscount  Balgonie.  In  the 
floor,  over  the  vault,  there  is  an  inscribed  slab  bearing  a shield  quartered  with 


the  arms  of  Melville  of  Raith  and  Douglas  of  Lochleven,  with  the  initials 
D.  M.  near  the  top  and  M.  D.  near  the  base,  probably  for  David  Melville  and 
Margaret  Douglas.  Captain  David  Melville  of  Newmill,  son  of  Sir  John 
Melville  of  Raith,  and  brother  of  Sir  James  Melville  of  Halhill,  Queen  Mary’s 
Ambassador  to  the  English  Court,  and  Sir  Andrew  Melville  of  Garvock, 
Queen  Mary’s  Master  of  the  Household,  is  probably  the  person  commemorated. 

The  inscription  is  not  easily  translated,  being  slightly  defective  and 
ungrammatical,  but  in  substance  it  seems  to  be  somewhat  as  follows  : — 

“ Here  Melville  lies  buried  in  a narrow  grave  now  covered  by  the  turf. 
[He  was]  married  to  a wife  of  the  Douglas  family.  The  illustrious 
house  of  Raith  mourns  him  taken  from  them  by  death,  but  he  rejoices 
in  the  company  of  saints  in  Heaven.  [He  died]  in  the  year  of  his 
age  57-  I594-” 

In  the  north  wall  of  the  chancel  there  is  an  arched  recess  which  may  have 
been  an  Easter  sepulchure,  but  more  probably  the  covert  of  an  effigy.  At  the 
east  side  of  the  arch  there  is  a small  aumbry  or  tabernacle,  with  two  shields 
above  ; the  coroneted  one,  charged  with  the  lion  rampant,  seems  to  be  an  old 
form  of  the  Melville  arms.  The  small  sanctus  bell  now  calls  the  village 
children  in  Letham  to  school.  The  larger  church  bell  was  taken  down  when 
the  church  was  abandoned,  and  is  said  to  have  had  an  inscription  on  it  bearing 
that  it  had  been  used  from  the  time  of  Robert  the  Bruce. 


Church  of  jSfi1 
=^MotiiiT2  all  := 


Collection  Plate., 


— rSVciion. 


—Church  of 


Collection  Plaice.  =» 


^ JS'/m  inches. 


— Section, 


St  ANDREWS,  FIFESHIRE. 


£0u«0  of  t$i  Crtntfy. 


mms  church,  generally  known  as  the  Town  Church,  was  originally 
built  in  1112  by  Bishop  Turgot,  and  subsequently  dedicated  to  the 
Holy  Trinity  by  Bishop  Bernhame.  In  Pre- Reformation  times  it 
had  thirty  altarages,  each  served  by  a separate  priest  and  fifteen 
choristers.  The  style  of  the  building  was  mainly  First  Pointed.  At  the 
end  of  last  century — the  church  being  found  to  be  too  small  for  the  congrega- 
tion— extensive  alterations,  of  the  usual  hideous  character  of  the  period,  were 
carried  out.  The  groined  roofs  over  the  side  aisles  were  removed,  and  the 
outer  walls  raised  nearly  to  the  height  of  the  original  clerestory  walls  ; pro- 
vision was  thus  obtained  for  galleries  and  accommodation  for  2500  people. 
Fortunately  the  tower  remains  to  give  us  some  idea  of  the  character  of  the 
whole.  It  is  of  the  usual  bare  unbuttressed  Scottish  type,  with  a square  out- 
jutting  turret  containing  a circular  newel  stair  within.  The  tower  measures 
23  feet  from  east  to  west,  and  19  feet  6 inches  from  north  to  south,  over  the 
walls.  The  stair  turret  is  lighted  by  small  square  headed  lights,  and  is  carried 
up  the  full  height  of  the  tower,  with  the  parapet,  which  is  set  on  the  usual 
large  corbels,  returned  round  it,  and  a small  octagonal  turret  and  spirelet 
covers  the  access  from  the  stair  to  the  roof.  The  tower  itself  is  finished  with 
the  usual  octagonal  spire,  of  somewhat  stunted  proportion,  and  has  a small 
gabled  light  on  each  cardinal  face.  A small  ogee  headed  door,  with  a 
segmental  rear  arch,  gives  access  to  the  inside  of  the  spire  from  the  parapet. 
There  has  apparently  been  a floor  here,  and  also  at  various  stages  below  in  the 
tower,  as  the  corbels  for  carrying  the  beams  shew.  The  belfry  stage  on  the 
west  front  is  lighted  by  a couple  of  pointed  windows,  with  trefoil  heads  within 
the  arch  ; the  hood  moulding  is  of  simple  type,  and  terminates  in  heads.  In 
the  north  elevation,  where  the  stair  turret  projects,  the  light  is  placed  to  the 
one  side,  and  it  consists  of  a rather  large  pointed  light,  divided  into  two  by 
a mullion. 

The  belfry  stage  is  marked  horizontally  by  a projecting  string-course. 
Two  circular  headed  lights  on  the  west  face  give  the  tower  an  appearance  of 
being  divided  into  four  unequal  stages,  but  there  are  no  other  string-courses 
or  intakes  to  mark  them.  It  is  this  well-known  peculiarity  in  Scottish  church 
towers  that  gives  them  the  appearance  of  great  height,  although  none  of  them 
reach  any  great  altitude.  This  example  measures  74  feet  from  the  base  to  the 


top  of  the  parapet.  At  the  ground  level  on  the  north  side  there  is  a curious 
opening  12  feet  6 inches  high  and  1 foot  9 inches  wide  ; it  serves  the  purpose 
of  a door,  but  I am  rather  doubtful  about  this  being  the  original  use  or 
intention  ; the  arched  head,  in  one  stone,  is  singularly  rude  and  strange 
looking. 

Viewed  in  perspective,  the  tower  looks  very  well  and  picturesque. 
Internally,  the  south  and  east  faces  are  carried  by  moulded  circular  arches,  the 
angle  pillar,  which  is  in  line  with  the  others  separating  the  nave  from  the 
north  aisle,  being  increased  in  size  to  bear  the  weight ; the  east  arch,  for  the 
same  reason,  has  its  crown  and  finish  at  a lower  level  than  the  south  arch. 
Part  of  the  oak  stalls  remain,  and  are  rather  interesting,  as  are  also  the 
offertory  plate  and  communion  cups. 

There  is  a large,  but  poor,  monument  to  Archbishop  Sharpe  ; it  was 
made  in  Holland. 


1 


— Church  of  the  Holy  Thnitv. 
—SI7  Andrews.— 


Jun«  ISttfr- 


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North  Elevation 


West Elevation. 


£ 


Scale  of  TaaE 


June  188b 


3 


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Section 


looking 


Soul'll. 


June  I <1  SO. 


/Scale  of  Feef . 


Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity.— 
=St.  Andrews  — 


Seclion 


St  ANDREWS,  FIFESHIRE. 


£0urc(5  of  fieonarO. 


PJ^HIS  is  the  church,  or  chapel  rather,  erected  in  connection  with  S. 
M Leonard’s  College,  which  was  founded  by  John  Hepburn,  Prior  of 
^ S.  Andrews,  in  1512,  during  the  episcopate  of  Alexander  Stewart, 
A.D.  1509-1513.  Stewart  was  a natural  son  of  James  IV.,  and  was 
killed  with  the  King  at  the  unfortunate  battle  of  Flodden  Field  on  the 
9th  September  1513.  Prior  John  Hepburn  endowed  the  new  college  with  the 
tithes  of  the  parish  of  S.  Leonards,  and  with  other  funds.  The  college  being 
purely  a monastic  foundation,  the  Prior  and  conventual  chapter  were  its 
patrons,  and  supplied  it  with  teachers  chosen  by  themselves.  Lyon,  in  his 
history  of  S.  Andrews  says — “ It  was  originally  designed  for  the  education  of 
twenty-four  poor  students ; (the  inscription  on  the  original  seal  of  the  college 
runs  thus  : S.  Come , Cottegii pauperum  Saudi  Leonardi ,)  but  it  soon  acquired 
so  much  repute  that  many  of  the  sons  of  the  nobility  and  gentry  of  Scotland 
repaired  to  it.  The  students,  among  other  accomplishments,  were  carefully 
instructed  in  sacred  music , and  became  so  celebrated  for  their  skill  in  that  art 
that  many  of  them  were  employed  throughout  Scotland,  after  the  Reformation, 
in  teaching  it.” 

The  chapel  is  in  many  ways  interesting,  and  clearly  shews,  in  the  character 
of  its  architectural  details,  the  late  date  of  its  erection.  It  measures  80  feet 
2 inches  long,  by  20  feet  6 inches  in  width,  inside,  and  there  is  no  feature 
marking  the  chancel  from  the  nave.  There  has  been  a west  door,  and  one 
about  the  middle  of  the  nave  in  the  south  side.  An  apartment,  with  arched 
stone  roof,  on  the  north  side,  may  have  been  a sacristy  ; there  is  a door  from 
it  into  the  chancel,  and  it  also  communicates  with  a narrow  arched  passage  in 
the  thickness  of  the  east  wall  which  extends  the  full  width  of  the  building. 
Behind  the  altar  two  loops  communicate  with  the  passage.  The  mural  monu- 
ments and  slabs  shew  the  approach  of  another  style  of  architecture.  The 
mural  monument  in  the  north  side  near  the  altar,  marked  B on  plan,  is  to 
Robert  Wilky,  who  was  twenty-one  years  principal  of  the  college,  and  enriched 
it  with  various  gifts  and  bursaries.  He  died  in  1611.  The  inscription  says 
of  him — A ream  ab  occidente  ccdibus  clausit , ab  orient e auxit , test  ament  0 4200 
mercas  pauperibus  alendis  legavit. 

The  celebrated  George  Buchanan  was  for  some  years  principal,  having 
been  presented  by  Queen  Mary  in  1566.  At  the  era  of  the  Reformation,  S. 
Leonard’s  College,  though  a monastic  institution,  was  distinguished  for  its 
opposition  to  Popery  ; so  that,  to  have  “ drunk  of  S.  Leonard’s  Well  ” became 
a proverbial  phrase  for  having  imbibed  the  reformed  opinions. 


4. 

— Church  of  ST.  Leonard  — 

— fi>T.  Andrews  — 


Transverse  Section 
looltih^  East 


West  Elevation. 


‘tX  H 

/Y* O 


i 

Jpg%  l 1,1,1  ft 

■ihU^^CUtJ'jLu  i i.-bzrzbteJ 


South  Elevation 


West 


South. 


Ground  Plan 


».©•  s • 


£ 


Scale  of  reel. 


June  1866. 


Church  of  ST.  ^Leonard 


Church  of  ST.  Eeonard 


ST.  Andrews.- — 


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Elevation  of  Monument 


A.  on  Plan 


June  1886 


St  ANDREWS,  FIFESH1RE. 


£0urc$  of  QUarg  on  f(5e  JEntt 


HE  foundations  of  this  early  church  were  cleared  in  i860  ; before  this 


£|p  short  nave  being  due  east  and  west.  Very  little  of  the  transepts  remain. 
The  style  of  the  building  has  evidently  been  early  13th  century  Gothic. 

This  was  the  church  of  the  provostry  of  Kirkheugh,  or  the  Pvceposituva 
Sanctce  Marice  de  Rupe.  Martine  says  (writing  about  1683),  that  the  manse  of 
the  provost  of  Kirkheugh  was  still  standing  “ on  a little  height  above  the 
shore  of  S.  Andrews,  now  in  no  good  repair,”  and  that  “ a little  north  from  it 
were  to  be  seen  the  ruins  of  old  buildings,  which  were  the  chapel  itself.” 
Grierson,  in  his  “ Delineations  of  S.  Andrews,”  published  about  1830,  states 
that  part  of  the  old  gable,  with  the  door  entire,  was  still  standing  in  1801,  and 
only  then  fell.  This  church  is  supposed  to  have  taken  the  place  of  a very  old 
chapel,  known  as  the  church  of  S.  Mary  on  the  Rock,  which  is  said  to  have 
stood  on  the  Lady’s  Craig,  a reef  near  the  pier.  Martine  says  of  it — “ As  to 
the  Culdees  at  S.  Andrews,  there  goes  a tradition  in  this  place  that  the  Culdees 
of  old,  at  least  Regulus  and  his  companions,  had  a cell  dedicated  to  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  about  a bow-flight  east  of  the  shore  of  S.  Andrews,  a little  without  the 
end  of  the  pier  (now  within  the  sea),  upon  a rock  called  at  this  day  our  Lady’s 
Craig  ; the  rock  is  well  known,  and  seen  every  day  at  low  water ; and  upon 
the  sea’s  encroaching,  they  built  another  house  at,  or  near  the  place,  where  the 
house  of  the  Kirkheugh  now  stands,  called  Sta.  Maria  de  Rupe,  with  St 
Rule’s  chapel.” 

The  slab  within  the  chancel  is  evidently  of  pretty  early  date,  and  is  care- 
fully protected  by  an  iron  railing  ; would  I could  say  as  much  for  other  and 
finer  slabs  in  the  neighbourhood  and  elsewhere. 


|)\  time  all  traces  of  it  had  been  lost.  The  chancel  measures  47  feet  in 
^ length,  by  20  feet  wide,  inside,  and  inclines  to  the  north  of  east,  the 


S^eole  for*  jSf lobs 


St  ANDREWS,  FIFESHIRE. 


£0urc#  of  (Regufua* 


^HIS  beautiful  and  interesting  church,  like  the  Abernethy  Round 
Fj\  Tower,  is  well  known,  and  has  been  often  described.  The  question 
as  to  whether  the  tower  is  a central  or  western  one  has  always  been 
an  open  one,  and  I presume  always  will.  Even  the  late  Sir  Gilbert 
Scott,  one  of  the  most  accomplished  architects  of  recent  times,  was 
undecided,  although  in  the  main  he  favoured  the  opinion  that  it  is  a western 
tower.  On  the  other  hand,  Mr  T.  S.  Muir — by  no  means  a poor  authority — 
has  no  hesitation  in  deciding  it  to  be  a central  tower.  For  my  own  part  I 
must  say,  with  all  diffidence,  I cannot  see  anything  about  the  plan  of  the 
chapel  to  lead  me  to  think  it  a central  tower,  and  I think  it  is  a western  tower, 
and  had  originally  a lofty  western  porch.  Sir  Gilbert  Scott  is  equally 
undecided  as  to  the  date  of  erection  ; he  imagines  it  to  be  anterior  to  the 
introduction  of  Norman  architecture  into  England,  and  remarks  that  it  stands 
side  by  side  with  the  cathedral,  just  as  the  church  of  S.  Cormac  does  with  the 
cathedral  at  Cashel,  and  also  that  the  capitals  of  the  shafts  closely  resemble 
those  of  S.  Pantaleon  at  Cologne,  which  are  of  the  ioth  century.  Dr  Joseph 
Anderson,  in  “ Scotland  in  Early  Christian  Times,”  quotes  Scott’s  remarks, 
and  points  out  that  Cormac’s  chapel  was  built  in  the  12th  century — “ so  that 
the  date  assignable  to  S.  Regulus,  whether  by  conjecture  or  by  the  analogy  of 
probabilities,  would  be  somewhere  within  the  limits  of  these  three  centuries.” 
He  then  goes  on  to  say — “ Whatever  may  be  its  precise  date,  S.  Regulus 
belongs  to  the  most  advanced  type  of  chancelled  churches,  consisting  of  nave, 
chancel,  and  apse  ; and  though  it  is  the  only  example  of  this  advanced  type 
which  is  of  unassigned  date  in  Scotland,  its  typical  form  links  it  on  with  the 
group  of  twelfth  century  churches.”  Dr  John  Stuart  unhesitatingly  ascribes 
its  erection  to  Bishop  Robert,  between  1127  and  1144,  on  what  authority  I 
know  not,  but  I am  entirely  at  one  with  him  as  to  the  likely  date.  I make  the 
height  of  the  tower  from  base  to  parapet  109  feet  10  inches.  The  drawings 
otherwise,  I hope,  clearly  shew  and  explain  this  fine  specimen  of  early  art.  I 
may  mention  that  all  the  beds  and  joints  of  the  stones  were  carefully  put  in 
on  the  drawings  on  the  spot. 

On  Plate  4 I shew  drawings  of  the  chapter  seal,  of  date  1204  and  1214. 
I am  greatly  indebted  to  Canon  Greenwell  of  Durham  for  sending  me  these 
seals,  for  examination,  which  are  attached  to  very  valuable  church  documents. 


=£-  Qndrewgj= 


beetle  of  “Feet. 


K.iriL  EievSTToTl ■ Weftl  Elevation.. 


Ml  , 


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t 685. 


St  ANDREWS,  FIFESHIRE. 


of  §baSv&iot. 


HIS  Church,  generally  called  the  College  Church,  was  founded  by 
gV  Bishop  James  Kennedy  in  1456,  for  a provost  and  prebendaries. 
(Archbishop  Sherez  added  another  in  1490).  Bishop  Kennedy  was 
the  last  who  died  with  that  title,  the  See  having  been  made  metro- 
!P  politan  under  his  successor.  In  the  first  foundation-charter,  which  was 
confirmed  by  Pope  Nicholas  V.,  the  College  is  said  to  be  built  for  Theology 
and  the  liberal  Arts.  It  was  dedicated  to  the  honour  of  God,  of  our  Saviour, 
and  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  was  named  S'.  Salvator s College.  The  second 
foundation-charter,  which  differs  a good  deal  from  the  first,  is  dated  at  the 
Castle  of  St  Andrews,  5th  April  1458.  Bishop  Kennedy  endowed  the  College 
with  the  teinds  of  the  parishes  of  Cults,  Kemback,  Denino,  Forteviot,  and 
Kilmany,  and  some  chapelries,  all  of  which  had,  until  then,  belonged  to  the 
bishopric.  This  distinguished  prelate  was  much  lamented  after  his  death  ; 
Buchanan,  whose  prepossessions  were  certainly  not  in  favour  of  the  Church  of 
which  Kennedy  was  the  head,  writes  of  his  virtues  in  the  highest  terms,  he 
says — “ His  death  was  so  deeply  lamented  by  all  good  men  that  the  country 
seemed  to  weep  for  him  as  for  a public  parent.”  He  held  the  offices  of  one  of 
the  Lords  of  the  Regency  and  guardian  to  James  III.,  until  his  death,  and  his 
conduct  obtained  the  approbation  of  the  whole  Kingdom,  as  well  as  that  of  the 
young  prince  himself,  who  always  styled  him  Carissimus  avunculus  nosier. 
Kennedy  also  founded  and  endowed  the  Monastery  of  Franciscan,  or  Grey 
Friars,  near  the  market  gate  of  the  Market  Street,  and  it  was  finished  by  his 
successor,  Archbishop  Graham,  in  1478.  It  was  destroyed  by  the  Reformers 
in  1559,  and  the  only  trace  of  it  left  is  the  name  “ Greyfriars  Garden,”  which 
is  still  given  to  the  site.  The  Bishop  also  built  a barge,  called  the  S.  Salvator, 
for  the  purpose  of  commerce  ; Martin  calls  it  “ a vast  ship  of  great  burden  ; ” 
she  remained  the  property  of  the  See  after  his  death,  and  was  wrecked  in  the 
year  1472  near  Bamburgh,  and  plundered  by  the  English  of  a valuable  cargo 
brought  from  Flanders.  Lyon,  in  his  History  of  St  Andrews,  says — “ 1 he 
bishop’s  barge,  his  own  monument,  his  college,  and  his  monastery,  cost  no 
less  a sum  than  ^300,000  of  our  present  money.” 

The  Church  of  S.  Salvator  is  an  oblong  of  seven  bays,  with  a trigonal 
east  end  and  south-west  porch,  and  a tower  about  26  feet  square  at  the  south- 
west corner.  The  archways  in  the  tower  give  access  to  the  College  square, 
but  there  is  no  entrance  between  it  and  the  Church.  T he  tower  is  rather  a 
lofty  specimen,  measuring  fully  1 1 7 feet  from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the 
parapet ; it  is  divided  into  two  stages,  the  lower  having  several  small  square 
headed  lights  placed  above  each  other,  and  the  upper  stage  is  filled  in  with 
two  long  coupled  lancets  with  cusped  heads,  and  similar  cusped  heads  are 
introduced  half-way  up  the  lights.  The  corbels  supporting  the  parapet  are  ol 
the  ordinary  character ; the  parapet  itself  seems  to  have  been  built  when  the 


church  was  restored,  as  Billings  shews  the  tower  without  any  parapet,  and  the 
broach  spire  springing  straight  from  the  top  of  the  tower, — the  height  of  the 
spire  is  about  28  feet ; it  is  built  with  a very  marked  entasis  and  divided 
into  three  stages  by  string  courses,  the  centre  stage  has  a small  dormer  light 
on  each  cardinal  face,  and  the  upper  stage  a smaller  opening  on  the  four 
octagonal  faces.  From  the  summit  of  the  tower,  the  “ Prior  of  Capora  ” and 
his  French  troops  battered  the  Castle  in  1 547. 

There  are  no  lights  in  the  north  or  west  walls  of  the  church,  it  being 
wholly  lighted  from  the  south  and  east.  Each  bay  is  marked  externally  by 
boldly  designed  buttresses,  with  canopied  niches  in  the  face  of  each,  and 
finished  with  gabled  pinnacles  carried  up  above  the  corbelled  parapet,  and  each 
bay  is  filled  in  with  a three  light  window,  with  traceried  head,  moulded  jambs, 
and  hood  over  ; every  alternate  window  is  the  same,  with  the  exception  of  the 
centre  window  in  the  east  end,  which  is  higher,  and  has  the  head  filled  in 
with  tracery  of  a different  type.  The  south-west  porch  is  a fine  one  ; the  inner 
door  has  a trigonal  head,  and  boldly  moulded  jambs  and  lintel  (see  Plate  4), 
which  clearly  shews  the  whole  detail.  In  the  north-east  corner  there  is  a holy 
water  stoup.  The  north  door  has  also  a trigonal  head  inside.  The  dedication 
cross  shewn  on  Plate  6 is  from  the  east  wall  of  the  tower,  inside,  on  the 
ground  floor. 

Internally,  the  proportion  of  the  church  is  long  for  its  width,  viz.,  107  feet 
by  28  feet.  The  most  beautiful  feature  left  inside  is  the  Tomb  of  the  Founder, 
resembling  a round  church  cut  in  twain,  and  beautifully  decorated  with  niches 
and  other  Gothic  features.  It  stands  on  the  north  side  of  the  church,  opposite 
to  where  the  altar  stood.  An  epitaph  is  discernible  upon  it,  consisting  of  two 
lines,  but  it  has  been  much  defaced  and  is  altogether  illegible.  The  top, 
according  to  Grierson,  was  “ ornamented  by  a representation  of  our  Saviour, 
with  angels  around,  and  the  instruments  of  the  passion.”  The  Bishop  died  in 
1466,  and  was  embalmed  with  spices  and  buried  in  this  tomb.  I have  devoted 
Plates  15  to  22  to  the  representation  of  this  fine  monument.  Tradition  states 
that  in  1683  six  magnificent  maces  were  found  in  it,  three  are  kept  in  the 
College,  and  one  was  presented  to  each  of  the  other  three  Scottish  Universities, 
viz.,  Aberdeen,  Glasgow,  and  Edinburgh.  One  of  great  elegance,  and  of  which 
the  others  seem  copies,  is  in  the  College  of  St  Andrews ; it  is  ornamented  with 
beautiful  Gothic  workmanship  of  the  same  character  as  the  tomb.  Appended 
to  it  is  the  following  inscription  : — “ Jacobus  Kennedy,  illustris  Sancti  Andreae 
Antistes,  ac  foundator  collegii  Sti  Salvatoris,  qui  me  donavit  me  fecit  fieri 
Parisiis,  an.  dom.  MIIIILXI.” 

The  roof  of  the  church,  which  is  said  to  have  been  of  beautiful  Gothic 
work,  was  thought  to  be  giving  way  about  a century  ago,  and  it  was  deter- 
mined to  take  it  down,  but  either  from  want  of  skill  or  wicked  intention,  it  was 
simply  cut  at  the  wall  heads  and  allowed  to  drop,  carrying  ruin  and  destruction 
along  with  it,  and  defacing  Kennedy’s  tomb. 

The  pulpit,  which  originally  stood  in  the  Parish  Church,  is  a fine  one,  and 
is  known  as  John  Knox’s  pulpit.  The  bells,  Plates  8 and  9,  are  very  good 
specimens. 

The  celebrated  physician,  Pitcairn,  the  first  medical  professor  in  the 
University  of  Edinburgh,  is  buried  within  the  church. 


mmm 


- 


of  T'cft. 


Ground  Plan. 


— Church  of  ST.  Salvator? 

= St.  Andrews.* 


'rrrTVi 

A 1 , 1 I 1 I ' I 1 i , 


- 

r, 

ms0s\  - 
•cT^i 


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Masons  Marks . 


E&^TTt- 


Soufh  TClevaTion. 


Scale  of  Feet. 


Jl4i]e  W66. 


3. 

— Church  of  st.  Sal  valor?  ~ 
— St.  Andrews.— 


East  Elevation. 


'task 


Scale  of  Fro T. 


Jhim  I OAb. 


Chupcti  of  St  Salvator3 


Scale  fop  Petoilft 


focaie  for*"  iJetai  is  ■ June  168 6 


Church  of  St  Salvato f . 


cole  fo^  Wir»cro"vv~.  3cole  I'op  N . JJooi*  1 owe i^DooT*  Pomjaet  &<  Corbels  - June  in 86. 


Church 


v-  - 


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ijne  1886. 


C Vi u pc h of  St  iSaivatQF  . 


, 

- Church  of  St.  ScilVnfor- 
St  Undrew1;.  — - 
Bishop  Kennedv’s  monument. 


Flan  Through Top 


Scale  of  Feci 


— Church  of  Snlvnhtr  — 
— !jV.  Chifliyw's’.— . 

Bishop  Kennedy’s  lllonunient. — 


'f liT  ! ll  I if l 1 1 


1 t 


jSrffk  Teel. 


— (^lmreli  of  &£  SiilVcLt'or  & GmlreWs.— * 


— Detail  of  Side  Canopieft. — 


— Plan  — 

-(j>-  Plan  ai-  ft. 
y+y  Plun  at  Cl . 

— 1°  -= 

&cale  of  Feclr. 


Church  of  SS  ftah  ator 


—Church  of  j£»fc  SalVahiv 
— f>t  QndreW^.^= 

Debailft  of  Biftho'p  Kennedy^  TTlont 


— Jia^ixCaja. 

— oF  Jamb.- 


— Clrch  TIlouM 


— (5a^e.  1 


/ — -'Pier  & Jamb.- 


(jicale.) 


Church  of  ftnlVhhir 
—St  QndrcvVs  — 

Detail  of  Piscina.  ? 

— Tabemacle. — 


CaWino'  in 


fflcVahonr= 


Clrch  TllouLd. 


• • 

Jamb  of  Piscina 


<-  .4'__X  -i  L 4. ^ 


— ^Cjhurcih  of  f>t  Salvator  = 


Petal  L of-  fafrp 
1 J<>  cjhamf'er 


OefcnL  of 
Itlui  lfail  tpl 
ou  jCIWatiois 


^Waie  of  ~rx4^i 


Piar?,  of  Pulpit'. 


C|Uuvci;  of  fit 

f li z drew  ft . ==• 


j^tde  €CLeVairioji/  op  PulpitT. 


JtffUe  oj 

I'1  rt  1 

16  1 

1 3 

r -i 

y \*  __  i3  1 

‘ba:i  i i 1 

i 

i—  . i 1 — < 

— — dtoiirch  of*  Sf  ^alyat'Qi 
~~5t  QiicLreWs. 

i - 

='Oet‘ciil?>  of  PulmlT 


-*>  —xl  ore — orr^Jaty  feT 

i'ivr.i  i Lai*  Kirlr  or' 
"fetdpiC  in>:adui:tf  5/4 

1»ut-_b,ave  same  tnolctma 

~£^XI 


Octal  L of  ftandoLa^ft 


Uftfail  ot  ^IjQjoL" 

CVmucc  to  FulpiE 

rrF~ in.  foe  h.lcxtition,  (Full 


St  MONANCE,  anciently  Abercrombie,  FIFESHIRE. 


of  QUonattee. 


HIS  fine  specimen  of  middle  pointed  Gothic  stands  close  to  the  sea,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Dreel  burn,  and  surrounded  by  the  churchyard. 
Mr  W.  F.  Skene,  in  his  “ Celtic  Scotland,”  identifies  the  patron 
saint  Monanus  with  Moinenn,  Bishop  of  Clonfert,  who  died  in  571, 
d holds  that  his  relics  were  brought  from  Ireland  to  Fife  about  the  year 
845,  and  deposited  in  a church  built  to  his  honour.  According  to  the  legend 
of  St  Adrian,  however,  Monannus  was  born  in  Pannonia,  a province  of 
Hungary,  preached  the  Gospel  at  Abercrombie,  and  was  enshrined  there  after 
his  martyrdom.  Another  historian  identifies  Monennius  with  St  Ninian  of 
Whithorn,  who  is  called  Nynias  by  Bede,  and  is  identified  by  the  Irish 
antiquaries  with  their  Monennius.  This  theory  would  seem  to  be  confirmed 
by  the  fact  that  some  writers,  in  alluding  to  the  miraculous  cure  of  King 
David,  and  to  the  church  which  he  founded,  call  its  patron  St  Ninian. 

David  II.  is  said  to  have  founded  the  present  church  in  or  about  1362,  as 
a thanks  offering,  he  having  been  freed  from  a barbed  arrow  received  at  the 
battle  of  Neville’s  Cross  in  1346,  while  praying  before  the  tomb  of  St  Monan. 
Another  writer,  Dr  Rogers,  states  in  the  “ Register  of  the  Collegiate  Church 
of  Crail  ” that  the  Church  of  St  Monan’s  was  erected  at  the  cost  of  David  II., 
to  denote  his  gratitude  to  God  for  being  preserved  in  a storm  which  overtook 
him  and  his  Queen,  Margaret  of  Logie,  when  crossing  the  firth  to  visit 
William  de  Dischington  at  Ardross,  and  also  states  that  this  William  was  the 
architect  of  the  Castle  of  Ardross,  of  the  Church  of  St  Monan’s,  and  probably 
of  the  Church  at  Crail.  The  Chamberlain’s  Rolls  contain  various  entries, 
dating  from  1362  to  1370,  of  payments  made  to  Sir  William  de  Dysschyntoun, 
Knyt,  Sheriff  of  Fife,  for  the  erection  of  the  building,  and  in  the  year  1369, 
Adam  the  Carpenter  received  £6,  13s.  4d.  in  part  payment  of  his  services  and 
labour  in  the  work. 

James  III.  bestowed  the  Church  upon  the  Dominicans  or  Black  Friars  at 
the  solicitation  of  Friar  John  Muir.  It  was  partly  destroyed  by  the  English 
in  1544,  and  was  renovated  in  1772  and  1828.  It  now  serves  as  the  Parish 
Church,  and  is  seated  for  528  worshippers. 

Muir,  in  his  “ Parochial  and  Collegiate  Churches  of  Scotland,”  says — 
“The  restorations,  alterations,  and  additions  that  were  then  made  (in  1828), 
although  anything  but  correct  either  in  style  or  material,  on  the  whole  manifest 
really  so  much  of  a friendly  and  well-intentioned  regard  for  the  preservation  of 
the  ancient  character  of  the  structure,  as  cannot  but  agreeably  surprise  any  one 
who,  while  wandering  through  the  rural  districts  of  Scotland,  has  marked  the 
sad  treatment  which  the  old  devotional  temples  in  general  have  received  at  the 
hands  of  incompetent  architects  and  their  employers.”  I quite  agree  with  him. 
It  is  uncertain  whether  a nave,  or  part  of  one,  ever  existed  ; the  west  elevation 
has  mostly  been  rebuilt,  and  shews  no  trace  of  building  west  of  the  tower. 


As  the  church  stands,  it  comprises  a chancel  of  four  bays,  measuring 
50  feet  8 inches  in  length,  and  22  feet  9 inches  in  width.  South  transept,  17 
feet  9 inches  long  and  18  feet  wide  ; north  transept,  17  feet  6 inches  long  and 
18  feet  wide,  and  tower  at  the  intersection,  21  feet  3 inches  east  and  west,  by 
16  feet  north  and  south,  inside  ; the  total  length  inside  being  71  feet  8 inches 
from  east  to  west,  and  66  feet  6 inches  across  the  transept  from  north  to  south. 
The  south  wall  of  the  chancel  has  a large  pointed  window  in  each  bay,  the 
three  eastmost  having  four  lights,  and  the  other  three  lights,  the  heads  are 
filled  in  with  looped  and  cusped  tracery,  the  jambs  are  splayed,  and  are 
composed  of  two  shallow  rolls  and  a hollow  ; the  north  wall  has  two  similar 
windows,  one  in  the  east  bay  and  one  in  the  west ; a modern  building,  fitted 
up  as  a vestry,  occupies  nearly  the  whole  of  the  two  centre  bays.  The  only 
original  door  is  in  the  north  side,  the  jambs  are  splayed,  but  the  arch  is 
moulded,  the  mouldings  dying  out  at  the  springing  of  the  arch.  The  east  end, 
which  is  square,  has  two  windows,  each  of  two  lights,  with  an  external  buttress 
running  up  between  them,  and  high  up,  just  above  the  buttress,  there  is  a 
small  light  with  a segmental  arch,  and  the  whole  space  filled  in  with  loop 
tracery.  In  the  centre  of  the  north  wall  of  the  north  transept,  there  is  a 
window  of  three  lights  ; the  south  wall  of  the  south  transept  is  divided  by  a 
centre  buttress,  and  on  each  side  of  it  there  is  a small  window  of  two  lights, — 
they  seem  to  be  the  oldest  feature  in  the  building,  and  are  rather  peculiar, — 
each  is  formed  of  two  narrow  lights  with  lancet  heads,  without  cusping, 
springing  from  the  chamfered  monial,  the  spandrel  above  is  filled  in  with  an 
elongated  quatrefoil,  the  whole  window  head  being  cut  out  of  one  stone,  and 
set  within  a deeply  splayed,  round  headed  containing  arch.  Close  to  the  east 
end  of  the  south  wall  of  the  chancel  there  is  a piscina,  or  aumbry,  with  moulded 
jambs  and  arch  cusped  inside, — there  is  no  drain  and  no  shelf ; to  the  west  of 
it,  in  the  same  wall,  there  is  a sedilia  for  three  persons,  a large  outer  roll  is 
carried  round  the  edge  of  the  recess,  and  a smaller  one  next  it  branches  off 
fully  half  way  up,  and  forms  the  leading  moulding  in  the  traceried  head,  which 
is  divided  into  three  ogee  cusped  canopied  compartments,  the  spandrel  spaces 
above  being  filled  in  with  elongated  trefoils  cusped  ; the  seat  at  present  is  fully 
four  feet  above  the  floor, — the  floor  was  lowered  about  two  feet  in  1828.  The 
roof  is  vaulted  with  shields  bearing  heraldic  devices  at  the  intersection  of  the 
ribs.  Within  the  tower  the  transept  arches  are  double,  the  inner  ones,  carrying 
the  tower  walls,  spring  away  from  the  east  and  west  walls  without  any  shafting ; 
the  capitals  to  all  the  shafts  throughout  are  simply  moulded,  as  are  the  bases, 
which  have  a heavy  sloping  base  on  a semi-octagonal  plinth.  The  tower  has 
rather  a squat  stunted  appearance,  but  this  is  partly,  if  not  altogether,  due  to 
the  pitch  of  the  chancel  roof,  which  is  higher  than  usual  ; the  tower  has  a 
heavy  moulded  parapet,  and  a low  octagonal  spire  springs  from  it,  having 
small  lights  on  each  cardinal  face.  Muir  states  the  orientation  as  being  east 
by  north. 

I give  two  views  of  the  Church,  one  by  Adam  de  Cardonnel,  and  one  by 
R.  Nasmyth  drawn  in  1807.  Both  shew  the  transepts  unroofed,  and  a large 
western  door,  but  no  signs  of  a nave,  or  part  of  one. 


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ABBOTSHALL. — Created  a parish  about  1674.  It  received  its  name  from  a 
hall  or  pleasaunce  of  the  Abbots  of -Dunfermline,  which  stood  west  of 
the  church. 

Chapel. — There  was  anciently  a chapel  here,  hence  the  name. 

ABDIE. — Consecrated  1242,  dedicated  to  S.  Macgidrin  or  Adrian.  Prior  to 
the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  Lindores  Abbey. 

ABERDOUR. — Consecrated  1178,  dedicated  to  S.  Fillan.  Prior  to  the 
Reformation  it  belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Inchcolm. 

Nunnery , founded  1474,  dedicated  to  S.  Martha. 

Hospital , founded  1487,  dedicated  to  S.  S.  Mary  V.  and  Peter  Ap. 

Beaupre,  now  corrupted  into  Bowprie.  Mention  is  made  of  a chapel  here 
as  early  as  the  year  1320.  The  place  was,  at  that  time,  known  as  the 
Grange  of  Beaupre. 

ABERNETHY,  partly  in  Fifeshire,  dedicated  to  S.  Bridget  V.  Abs.  At 
Abernethy,  according  to  the  Pictish  chronicle,  Nectan  Morbet,  third  of 
the  shadowy  line  of  early  Pictish  Kings,  founded  a church  here  in 
honour  of  S.  Bridget  of  Kildare  about  462, — a legend  inconsistent  with 
the  known  date  of  her  death  (525).  “ Under  the  influence  of  Columba’s 

teaching,  Gartnaidh,  ‘ supreme  King  of  the  Tay,’  founded  or  refounded 
here  a church  for  Columban  monks,  dedicated,  like  its  alleged  pre- 
decessor, to  S.  Bridget,  some  time  between  584  and  596.  In  717  the 
Columban  monks  were  doubtless  expelled  from  Abernethy  by  Nectan 
III.  for  nonconformity  to  Rome;  but  in  865  we  find  it  once  more 
occupied  by  Irish  clergy,  as  in  that  year  it  seems  to  have  been  visited 
and  reorganised  by  Cellach,  Abbot  both  of  Iona  and  of  the  mother 
church  of  Kildare.  From  that  year  too,  on  to  908,  Abernethy  was  at 
once  the  episcopal  and  the  royal  capital  of  the  whole  Pictish  kingdom, 
Constantin,  son  of  Kenneth  Mac  Alpin,  having  translated  the  whole 
bishopric  hither  from  Dunkeld.  Three  bishops  held  the  see,  whose 
transference  to  S.  Andrews  under  Constantin,  King  of  Alban,  stripped 


11 


Abernethy  of  much  of  its  former  importance,  the  single  epoch  in  its 
after-history  being  the  homage  paid  at  it  in  1072  to  the  Conqueror  by 
Malcolm  Ceannmor,  who  came  and  made  peace  with  King  William,  and 
gave  hostages  and  became  his  man  ; and  the  King  went  home  with  all 
his  forces.”  Culdees  are  first  heard  of  at  Abernethy  during  the  reign  of 
Eadgar  (1097- 1107),  but  it  does  not  appear  how  long  they  had  been 
introduced.  They  were  holding  the  possessions  of  the  ancient  nunnery 
between  1189  and  1199,  but  the  church  and  its  pertinents  had  been 
granted  by  William  the  Lyon  to  Arbroath  Abbey,  to  whose  monks  the 
lay  Abbot  of  Abernethy  now  conveyed  his  abbatical  rights,  while  retain- 
ing his  lands,  becoming  thus  a secular  baron  and  founder  of  the  house 
of  Abernethy.  A dispute  in  the  succeeding  century  between  Arbroath 
and  these  Culdees  was  decided  by  the  Bishop  of  Dunblane  against  the 
latter,  who  in  1272  were  converted  into  a priory  of  Canons  Regular  of 
S.  Augustine. 

Chapel. — Mentioned  by  Adam  King  as  existing  in  his  day. 

ANSTRUTHER,  Wester. — Consecrated  1243. 

ANSTRUTHER,  Easter. — The  parish  church  of  Easter  Anstruther  was 
built  1634-44. 

AUCHTERDERRAN. — Founded  1093,  dedicated  to  S.  Serf  Ab.  The 
ancient  church  of  Auchterderran  was  given  by  Fothad,  last  Bishop  of 
Alban,  to  God,  S.  Serf,  and  the  hermit  Culdees  of  Lochleven. 

AUCHTERMUCHTY. — Consecrated  1245,  dedicated  to  the  Holy  Trinity. 
Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Lindores. 

AUCHTERTOOL. — The  church  belonged  to  the  Bishop  of  Dunkeld. 

BALLINGRY. — The  present  church  was  built  in  1831. 

BALMERINO. — The  present  church,  built  in  1811,  succeeded  one  built  at 
Kirkton  in  1595,  when  the  Abbey  Church  was  disused. 

Abbey. — Founded  in  1227,  dedicated  to  S.  S.  Mary  V.  and  Edward  C.  A 
Cistercian  Abbey  founded  by  Ermengarda,  widow  of  William  the  Lyon  ; 
she  was  buried  before  the  high  altar  in  1233. 

Mains. — Chapel  here,  dedicated  to  S.  Alus  or  Ayle. 

Naughton. — Chapel  here,  dedicated  to  S.  John. 

Seamylnes. — Chapel  here,  dedicated  to  S.  Thomas  C. 

BEAI  H. — Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Inchcolm. 
The  “ Kirk  ” was  the  first  place  of  meeting  that  the  Protestant  Lords 


Ill 


of  Scotland  had  for  the  Covenant  and  Reformation,  it  fell  into  disuse 
about  1640,  and  was  rebuilt  by  Mr  Alexander  Colville  of  Blair,  who 
was  mightily  stirred  by  beholding  from  his  own  window  the  piping  and 
dancing  of  the  poor  people  on  the  Sabbath,  their  revelling  and  debauch- 
ing, drinking,  excess  and  riot, — the  younger  men  playing  at  football, 
falling  out  and  wounding  one  another,  and  the  older  sort  playing  at 
games  and  the  works  of  their  several  callings. 

BURNTISLAND. — Dedicated  to  S.  Adamnan  ? 

Kirkton. — Consecrated  1243,  dedicated  to  S.  Serf  Ab.  Burntisland 
belonged  anciently  to  Dunfermline  Abbey,  and  was  exchanged  by  James 
V.  in  1541  for  some  lands  in  the  neighbourhood,  that  he  might  erect  it 
into  a royal  burgh.  The  parish  was  originally  called  Wester  Kinghorn. 

CAMERON. — Disjoined  from  S.  Andrews  parish  in  1645. 

CARNBEE. — The  parish  church  was  erected  in  1793. 

CARNOCK. — The  church  belonged  to  the  ministry  of  Scotland  Well. 

CERES.— Dedicated  to  S.  Cyr  or  Quiricus  M.  Prior  to  the  Reformation  it 
belonged  to  the  Provostry  of  Kirkheugh. 

COLLESSIE— Consecrated  1243.  Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to 
the  Abbey  of  Lindores. 

CRAIL.— Dedicated  to  S.  Maelrubha  H.  Held  until  1517  by  the  Cistercian 
Nunnery  of  Haddington.  The  prioress  and  Sir  William  Myreton  then 
made  it  collegiate  for  a provost,  ten  prebendaries,  a sacrist  and  choiisters. 
Just  before  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  S.  Salvators  College, 
S.  Andrews. 

Castle. — Chapel  dedicated  to  S.  Rufus. 

Priory. — Dedicated  to  S.  Rufus  ; site  now  known  as  the  I rioi  \\  alls. 

Kilwinning  Farm. — Chapel,  dedicated  to  S.  Monan. 

CREICH. — Dedicated  to  S.  Devenic.  Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged 
to  the  Abbey  of  Lindores. 

CULTS,  formerly  Quylt. — Consecrated  in  1243.  Prior  to  the  Refoimation  it 
belonged  to  S.  Salvator’s  College,  S.  Andrews. 

CUPAR.— Dedicated  to  S.  Mary  V. 

Tarvit.— Dedicated  to  S.  Michael  Arch.  The  parishes  of  Cupar  and  Tarvit 
were  united  in  1618.  The  original  parish  church  of  Cupar  stood  three 
furlongs  N.W.  of  the  town,  but  within  the  old  walls,  on  a rising  ground 


IV 


near  Springfield  House  ; became  a ruin  in  the  early  part  of  the  15th 
century,  and  was  completely  obliterated  in  1759.  Its  successor,  in 
Kirkgate  Street,  built  in  1415,  was  a Gothic  structure  of  some  preten- 
sion, measuring  133  feet  in  length  by  54  feet  in  width  ; it,  too,  fell  into 
decay,  and  was  taken  down  in  1785,  with  the  exception  of  the  tower 
and  part  of  the  north  aisle,  which  still  stand.  Tarvit  parish  church,  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Eden,  crowned  a small  conical  eminence — S. 
Michael’s  Hill — now  mostly  covered  with  a plantation  sheltering  the 
N.E.  entrance  to  Tarvit  House.  After  the  parishes  were  united, 
Cupar  parish  church  took  the  name  of  S.  Michael,  according  to  some 
authorities. 

Dominican  Priory. — Dedicated  to  S.  Mary  V.  Founded  by  one  of  the 
Earls  of  Fife,  and  annexed  to  S.  Andrews  by  James  V. 

Kilmaron. — There  was  anciently  a chapel  here. 

DAI  RSI  E. — Consecrated  1243,  dedicated  to  S.  Mary  V.  The  present  church 
was  “ built  and  adorned  after  the  decent  English  fashion  ” by  Arch- 
bishop Spottiswoode  in  1621.  It  belonged  to  the  Priory  of  S. 
Andrews. 

DALGETY. — Dedicated  to  S.  Bridget  V.  Abs.  The  church  dates  from  the 
1 2th  century.  Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  the  Abbey  of 
Inchcolm. 

Fordell. — Probably  dedicated  to  S.  Thereota  ? now  corrupted  into  S. 
Cereot.  The  present  chapel  was  built  about  1633. 

DUNBOG. — Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Arbroath. 
Dunbog  House  is  built  on  the  site  of  a Preceptory  of  the  Monks  of 
Balmerino,  said,  but  not  on  good  authority,  to  have  been  built  by 
Cardinal  Bethune. 

Dunmore. — The  ruins  of  a small  interesting  chapel  still  remain. 
DUNFERMLINE. 

Abbey. — Dedicated  to  the  Holy  Trinity.  Founded  in  1072  by  Malcolm 
Ceannmor.  It  was  endowed  both  by  that  King  and  his  sons,  Ethelred 
and  Eadgor,  and  was  completed  and  further  endowed  by  Alexander  I. 
in  1 1 15.  It  was  remodelled  in  1124,  as  a Benedictine  Abbey,  by 
David  I.,  who  placed  in  it  an  Abbot  and  twelve  brethren  brought  from 
Canterbury. 

Almshouse  and  Chapel , dedicated  to  S.  Catherine  V.  M. 


V 


Queensferry,  N. — Dedicated  to  S.  James  Ap.  In  1323  this  chapel  was 
given  to  the  Abbey  of  Dunfermline  by  William,  Bishop  of  S.  Andrews. 

Garvock. — Dedicated  to  S.  John  the  Evan. 

DU  NINO. — Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  S.  Salvator’s  College,  S. 
Andrews. 

Nunnery. — An  ancient  nunnery  stood  on  the  highest  ground  in  the  parish, 
whence  its  ruins  were  removed  in  1815. 

DYSART. — Consecrated  1245,  dedicated  to  S.  Serf  or  Servanus  Ab. 

Priory  of  Black  Friars,  dedicated  to  S.  Denis  P.  M.,  or  M.  Bp. 

ELIE,  down  to  1639,  was  part  of  the  parish  of  Kilconquhar,  when  it  was 
created  a parish  by  Sir  William  Scott  of  Ardross. 

FALKLAND,  anciently  Kilgour. — Kilgour,  2J  miles  W.  by  N.  of  Falkland, 
was  the  site  of  the  ancient  parish  church.  Prior  to  the  Reformation  it 
belonged  to  the  Priory  of  S.  Andrews,  and  was  granted  to  it  by  the 
Earl  of  Fife  in  1318. 

FERRY-PORT-ON-CRAIG. — Constituted  in  1606,  was  formerly  part  of 
Leuchars  parish. 

FLISK. — Consecrated  1242,  dedicated  to  S.  Adrian.  Flisk  was  one  of  the 
eight  rectories  in  Fife  at  the  Reformation,  all  the  others  being  vicarages. 

FORGAN. — Consecrated  1124,  dedicated  to  S.  Fillan.  Before  the  Reforma- 
tion it  belonged  to  the  Priory  of  S.  Andrews. 

INVERKEITHING.— Dedicated  to  S.  Peter  Ap.  It  was  bequeathed  in 
1139  to  Dunfermline  Abbey  by  Waldeve,  son  of  Gospatrick. 

Rosyth,  an  ancient  parish,  now  annexed  to  Inverkeithing.  The  church 
belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Inchcolm. 

KEMBACK. — Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  S.  Salvator’s  College, 
S.  Andrews. 

KENNOWAY Dedicated  to  S.  Cainnichi  or  Kenneth.  It  belonged  to  the 
Priory  of  S.  Andrews. 

KING’S  KETTLE.— Consecrated  1243,  dedicated  to  S.  S.  John  the  Evan., 
and  Ethernascus.  The  parish  was  anciently  known  as  Lathrisk,  and 
down  to  about  1636  the  church  stood  on  the  lands  of  Lathrisk.  It 
belonged  to  the  Priory  of  S.  Andrews. 

Clatto. — There  was  a chapel  here. 

Chapel  Kater. — There  was  a chapel  here. 


VI 


KILCONQUHAR. — Consecrated  1243,  dedicated  to  S.  Monan. 

KILMANY. — Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  S.  Salvator’s  College, 
S.  Andrews. 

KILRENNY. — Consecrated  1243,  dedicated  to  S.  Irenaeus  or  Ninian  Bp. 

* 

KINGHORN. — Dedicated  to  S.  Leonard  C.  H.  Prior  to  the  Reformation  it 
belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Dunfermline. 

Inchiceith. — Dedicated  to  S.  Adamnan. 

KINGLASSIE. — Dedicated  to  S.  Glasciannus.  Prior  to  the  Reformation  it 
belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Dunfermline. 

KINGSBARNS. — The  lands  belonged  to  Crail  parish  until  1631,  when  it 
was  constituted  a separate  parish.  The  church  was  built  in  1631. 

KIRKCALDY. — Consecrated  1244,  dedicated  to  S.  Patrick  Britius  or 
Brisse,  B.  C. 

LARGO. — Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  the  Cistercian  Nunnery  of 
North  Berwick. 

LESLIE,  anciently  called  Fithkil. — Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to 
the  Abbey  of  Inchcolm. 

Chapel. — Dedicated  to  S.  Mary  V. 

LEUCHARS. — Consecrated  1244,  dedicated  to  S.  Athernase.  The  “ Ecclesia 
de  Lochres  ” is  mentioned  in  a confirmatory  bull  by  Pope  Gregory,  in 
the  year  1187,  of  certain  ecclesiastical  temporalities  bestowed  on  the 
Priory  of  S.  Andrews.  In  the  days  of  William  the  Lion,  Nesius  de 
Quincy  conferred  the  church  of  Leuchars  upon  the  Priory. 

Chapel. — Dedicated  to  S.  Bennet,  stood  on  the  site  of  the  parish  school. 

Easter  Tron. — There  was  a chapel  here. 

Airdit. — There  was  a chapel  here. 

LOGIE. — Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  belonged  to  the  Abbey  of  Balmerino. 

MARKINCH. — Consecrated  1243,  dedicated  to  S.  S.  John  the  Baptist  and 
Modrust.  There  was  a Culdee  cell  here.  The  church,  previous  to  the 
Reformation,  belonged  to  the  Priory  of  S.  Andrews. 

Balbirnie. — Dedicated  to  S.  Brandan. 

Kirkforthar. — There  was  a chapel  here. 

MAY,  ISLAND  OF. — An  extra-parochial  parish,  claimed  by  Crail  and  by 
Anstruther  ; dedicated  to  S.  Adrian.  S.  Adrian  is  said  to  have  been 


Vll 


killed  here,  about  870,  by  the  Danes.  David  I.  founded  a monastery 
here  before  the  middle  of  the  12th  century,  and  granted  it  to  the 
Benedictine  Abbey  of  Reading,  in  Berkshire,  on  condition  that  they 
should  place  and  maintain  twelve  priests  therein,  to  say  mass  for 
himself  and  his  predecessors  and  successors.  In  1318  all  the  rights  to 
the  Priory  of  May  were  transferred  to  the  canons  of  S.  Andrews,  when 
a Priory  at  Pittenweem  seems  to  have  been  substituted  for  that  on  the 
island. 

MON  I MAIL. — Prior  to  the  Reformation  it  was  a mensal  church  of  the 
Archbishops  of  S.  Andrews.  The  adjoining  palace,  of  which  there  are 
some  remains,  was  originally  built  by  Bishop  William  Lamberton,  who 
died  in  1328.  It  was  enlarged  and  improved  by  Cardinal  Beaton,  and 
was  the  residence  of  Archbishop  Hamilton  during  a severe  illness, 

< when  he  was  attended  and  cured  by  the  famous  physician  Cardan. 

MOONZIE. — Consecrated  1245.  The  church  and  teinds  of  the  parish  of 
Moonzie  were  gifted  by  Bishop  Malvoisin  to  a religious  fraternity  at 
Scotland  Well,  in  Kinross-shire.  About  1564  Moonzie  was  conjoined 
with  Cupar,  but  only  for  a few  years,  when  it  was  again  made  a 
separate  parish. 

NEWBURGH. — Dedicated  to  S.  Catherine.  The  parish  was  disjoined  from 
Abdie  in  1632. 

NEWBURN,  anciently  Drumeldrie. — The  Culdees  are  said  to  have  had  a 
church  here  ; King  Malcolm  granted  them  the  lands  of  Balchrystie. 

PITTENWEEM. — The  parish  church  is  partly  a structure  of  the  first  half  of 
the  17th  century.  The  parish  became  independent  about  1588.  The 
church  was  probably  dedicated  to  S.  Lilian.  There  are  a well  and  cave 
associated  with  the  saint’s  name. 

Priory. — Dedicated  to  S.  Mary  V.,  dates  from  about  1 1 14,  and  was  founded 
for  Canons  Regular,  and  belonged  to  the  Priory  of  S.  Andrews. 

S.  ANDREWS. — Dedicated  to  the  Holy  Trinity.  The  parish  church  was 
first  built  in  1112  by  Bishop  Turgot,  and  subsequently  dedicated  by 
Bishop  David  de  Bernhame. 

Cathedral. — Dedicated  to  S.  Andrew  Ap.  The  building  was  begun  by 
Bishop  Arnold  (1159-1162)  in  1159,  but  was  not  finished  till  the  time 
of  Bishop  Lamberton  (1297-1328)  in  1318,  the  work  having  been  carried 
on  by  eleven  successive  bishops. 


Vlll 


Church. — Dedicated  to  S.  Regulus.  It  probably  occupies  the  site  of  the 
older  Culdee  Cell.  The  probable  date  of  the  existing  building  is  1144. 

College  Church. — S.  Salvator.  Founded  by  Bishop  James  Kennedy  in 
1456  for  a provost  and  prebendaries.  It  was  dedicated  to  the  honour 
of  God,  of  our  "Saviour,  and  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  was  named  S. 
Salvator’s  College. 

College  Chapel. — Dedicated  to  S.  Leonard. 

Culdee  Chapel. — Dedicated  to  S.  Mary  V.  Known  as  the  chapel  of 
“ S.  Mary  on  the  Rock,”  possibly  the  first  erected  by  the  Culdees  ; it 
stood  on  the  Lady’s  Craig,  a reef  of  rock  behind  the  pier. 

Chapel  of  the  King  of  Scotland  on  the  Hill. — Dedicated  to  S.  Mary  V. 
Stood  on  the  Kirk  Heugh,  immediately  west  of  the  harbour ; the 
foundations  were  cleared  in  i860. 

Augustinian  Priory  or  Monastery. — Founded  by  Bishop  Robert  (1126- 
1158)  in  1144  ; stood  to  the  south  of  the  Cathedral,  now  extinct. 

Dominican  Monastery. — Founded  in  1274  by  Bishop  Wishart  (1273-1279), 
and  was  governed  by  a Prior  who  was  not  subject  to  the  Episcopal 
control.  The  ruin  of  the  north  transept  still  stands  in  South  Street,  in 
front  of  the  Madras  College. 

Ob  servant  ine  or  Grey  friars  Monastery. — Stood  north  of  the  West  Port, 
at  the  west  end  of  Market  Street.  It  was  founded  about  1450  by 
Bishop  James  Kennedy,  and  it  was  completed  in  1478  by  Bishop 
Grahame  (1466-1478).  It  was  governed  by  a warden. 

S.  MONANCE,  anciently  Abercrombie. — Dedicated  to  S.  Monan.  Mr  W. 
F.  Skene  identifies  Monanus  with  Moinenn,  Bishop  of  Clonfert  (d.  571), 
and  holds  that  his  relics  were  brought  from  Ireland  about  845,  and 
deposited  in  a church  erected  to  his  honour.  David  II.  founded  the 
present  church  at  S.  Monance  about  1362,  and  a century  later  James 
III.  bestowed  it  on  the  Dominican  Monastery  of  S.  Andrews.  The 
ruins  remain  of  the  church  of  Abercrombie. 

SALINE. — Was  “ ane  common  Kirk  of  Dunkeld.” 

SCOONIE. — Consecrated  1243,  dedicated  to  S.  Memma. 

STRATHMIGLO. — Dedicated  to  S.  Martin.  Prior  to  the  Reformation  it 
belonged  to  the  Bishops  of  Dunkeld. 

Gateside. — Dedicated  to  S.  Mary  V. 


IX 


TORRYBURN  AND  CROMBIE. — The  ruins  of  a chapel  remain  at 
Crombie. 

WEMYSS. — Dedicated  to  S.  Cuthbert.  It  belonged  to  Trinity  College, 
Edinburgh. 

Chapel  Garden. — There  was  a chapel  here. 

Methilhill. — There  was  a chapel  here. 


&cdm<x&t\c<xt  j^ounbaftons  in  'ftxntoBBrtfym. 

ARNGASK. — The  original  church  was  a private  chapel  of  the  Balvaird 
family,  and  in  1282  was  granted  to  Cambuskenneth  Abbey. 

CLEISH. — The  church  was  rebuilt  in  1832. 

FOSSAWAY  AND  TULLIBOLE.— United  in  1614.  The  parish  church 
was  rebuilt  in  1806. 

KINROSS. — Consecrated  in  1246. 

S.  Serf’s  Island,  Lochleven. — Dedicated  to  S.  Serf  or  Servanus  Ab. 
According  to  the  Register  of  S.  Andrews , the  island  was  given  by 
Brude,  King  of  the  Piets,  in  the  early  part  of  the  9th  century,  to  God, 
S.  Servan,  and  the  Culdee  hermits  serving  God  there  ; and  the  posses- 
sions of  the  community  were  increased  by  various  grants  from  different 
Kings,  and  some  of  the  Bishops  of  S.  Andrews.  Prior  to  961,  the 
brethren  had  given  up  the  island  to  the  Bishop  of  S.  Andrews,  so  long 
as  he  should  provide  them  with  food  and  raiment;  and  in  1144,  or 
shortly  after,  Bishop  Robert  handed  the  island,  and  all  their  other 
possessions,  to  the  newly  founded  order  of  Canons  Regular  of  S. 
Andrews,  and  King  David  granted  a charter  conferring  the  island  on 
the  Canons,  who  held  the  place  and  priory  till  the  Reformation. 

ORWELL. — The  chapel  stood  close  to  the  shore  of  Lochleven,  and  is  said  to 
have  been  given  to  the  Abbey  of  Dunfermline  by  Robert  the  Bruce  in 
1315.  Sibbald,  in  his  history  of  Fife,  says — “ in  puram  et  perpetuam 
eleemosynam,  Ecclesiam  de  Kinross  cum  capella  de  Unveil.  It  is  also 
said  to  have  belonged  at  one  time  to  the  Collegiate  Church  at  Dalkeith. 

PORTMOAK. — Dedicated  to  S.  S.  Stephen  and  Moak.  Before  the  Refor- 
mation it  belonged  to  the  Priory  of  S.  Andrews. 

Scotland  Well. — There  was  a monastery  here.  1 he  ruins  of  a chapel 
still  exist. 


